Ekiti Election: Fayemi concedes defeat, ...Congratulates Governor-elect Fayose

In a rare show of sportsmanship, the Ekiti State Governor and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on Sunday congratulated Mr. Ayo Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party for winning Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

In a statement on Sunday, Governor Fayemi said, “If indeed this is the will of the Ekiti People, I stand in deference to your will. If the result of the elections is an expression of the voice of our people, we must all heed your voice.”
Addressing the media in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, less than 24 hours after the election, he said: “I have just spoken with my brother, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, congratulating him on his victory. In a few hours from now, I would be meeting the Governor-elect to discuss the future of our dear state and how we would work together to institute a smooth transition programme.

“It has been a hard fought election. As expected, in the course of the campaigns, there were unsavoury episodes as the candidates toured the nooks and crannies of the state to sell ourselves to the people. Elections tend to be highly divisive affairs that often see brother rising against brother. Despite our diverse party affiliations, and regardless of which way we voted on Saturday, we must remember that we are all sons and daughters of Ekiti State. Ekiti is ours to build together.

“On our part, over the course of the campaigns, we presented our scorecards before the people of Ekiti State. We never at any point took your support for granted. We campaigned, we canvassed and we traversed the nooks and crannies of this State. Our performance and achievements in office will remain the backdrop against which the next government and indeed future governments will be assessed. We are proud that with the support of Ekiti people, we have raised the bar of excellence in governance. In all, we gave our best, for conscience and for posterity.”
While admitting that indeed a new sociology of the Ekiti people may have evolved, he noted that the task of understanding how the outcome of the election had defined the people would be that of scholars, “For us as an administration and a cadre of political leaders in Ekiti State, we have fought a good fight, we have kept faith.
“To members of our party, our campaign team and indeed all Ekiti people who defied the siege on our state to cast their votes for our party, I salute your exemplary courage and doggedness in the face of harassment. Thank you for staying the course. The incidences of brazen harassment, intimidation and allied infractions on fundamental human rights, which many of you suffered in the hands of agents of the state, would be documented and communicated to the appropriate authorities, for the records.”
Governor Fayemi thanked the media for their support and prayed for God’s blessing on Ekiti State, known as the land of honour, and the entire country.

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