President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi on his emergence as the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF.
Buhari urged Fayemi to use his new position to forge a deeper harmonious and fruitful working relationship not only with the Federal Government but also with other arms and tiers of government.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina and forwarded to our corresponednt, on Thursday, Buhari expressed delight that Fayemi’s choice was by consensus, indicating the degree of confidence reposed in him by his colleagues.
According to Buhari: “The focal objective of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum at all times ought to be the higher interest of the people of this country above partisan, political, religious or regional differences.”
The president also expressed the readiness of the Federal Government to support the Forum to realise its laudable objectives.
Buhari, while wishing Gov. Fayemi a successful tenure, commended his immediate predecessor, Gov. Abdul’aziz Yari of Zamfara State for his leadership as chairman of the NGF.
APC IN SOUTH WEST CONGRATULATES FAYEMI.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South West also congratulated the Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, on his victory in the Wednesday’s contest for the chairmanship of the Nigeria’s Governors Forum held in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
Fayemi emerged winner in a contest to lead the forum of the nation’s 36 governors for the next four years.
A statement signed by APC Zonal Publicity Secretary, Hon Karounwi Oladapo in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday, said: “Governor Fayemi’s victory in the contest for this sensitive position is an acknowledgement of his brilliance, respect for his leadership qualities and capacity as a man with a clear vision for a greater Nigeria.
“It is also an acknowledgement of the mass appeal and acceptance he enjoys among his colleagues across party lines.”
Also, a charge has gone to Fayemi to deploy his energy as the Forum’s Chairman to advance the development of the nation.
A chieftain of the APC in Ekiti State, Dr Olusegun Osinkolu, while congratulating Fayemi advised that Fayemi should use the highly influential status to fight on the side of Nigerians, by ensuring that there is equity and justice in the distribution of the country’s wealth.
Fayemi was on Wednesday night elected to superintend over the forum’s affairs for the next four years by the 36 state governors to succeed the outgoing Zamfara governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari .
In his message to Fayemi on Thursday after his elevation into the influential and exalted seat , Osinkolu congratulated the good people of Ekiti state and the southwest, describing the feat as a record broken event that will reshape the politics of the country.
The former Director General, Buhari/Osinbajo campaign council in Ekiti in the last presidential election, urged Fayemi to bring his administrative ingenuity as well as shrewd and political wizardry to bare in ensuring that Nigerians feel the positive impact of the new position.
“I want to congratulate Dr. Fayemi for reshaping the politics of our dear state with this new position. The image of Ekiti State had again been launched to higher pedestal with this new status, being the first time a governor from our state and region will occupy this position.
“We appeal to him to lead a cohesive forum and work hard to ward off enemies from returning the forum to old days when it was divided along party and personal interest lines occasioned by high wired political pursuits.
“I am confident that Governor Fayemi will surpass his predecessor, Alhaji Yari, who deployed the position to negotiate for the disbursement of Paris club refunds and other intervention funds to States while in crises over the payment of salaries . Posterity will continue to remember Zamfara Governor in this regard.
” Bearing this in mind, Governor Fayemi must be a vociferous voice against injustice in the land. He must place high premium on the benefit accruing to Nigerians rather than personal political pursuit for history to be fair to him.
“He should also be circumspect of the fact that those profiting from the deeply entrenched lopsidedness in our nation always loved to weaken the forum and throws it into crisis.
“Our dear governor must be conscious of this and prepare had to ensure a more cohesive body that can deliver democracy dividends to the Nigerian citizens.”
