Former Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, has described Governor Biodun Oyebanji as a worthy successor with an excellent performance record and for the manner he has been able to unite all leaders of diverse political interests in the state.
Fayemi, in a statement obtained by PUNCH Online on Monday, said not all leaders are endowed with such skills and ingenuity to achieve that much within two years in office.
According to the statement, Fayemi disclosed these in Ado Ekiti, on Sunday, while commissioning two road projects, the Agric Olope-Odo Ado -Moferere road and GRA 3rd extension road (phase one), initiated by his administration but completed by Oyebanji.
It added that Fayemi praised Oyebanji for aligning with the Ekiti State Transition Law, which prohibits a succeeding administration from abandoning uncompleted projects midwifed by the preceding government, describing this as a hallmark of excellent leadership.
The statement read, “I am surprised with the way you have been uniting all the political leaders of Ekiti State. Not all leaders are blessed or endowed with such skill, not all of us. To me, it is good for the system, because we need peace and unity to drive development.”
He urged Oyebanji to continue with the pace of excellent delivery of dividends of democracy to the people of the state, even as he aligned himself with the gale of second-term endorsements for the Governor, by different groups and personalities.
“I am very proud of Governor Oyebanji. He is a soft and compassionate leader. All the road projects that we started like Itapa-Omu-Ijelu, GRA third extension, Ado-Ifaki and others were being attended to by his government. We thank God that continuity has become a blessing to us in Ekiti.
“We had a bad experience before. When I left in 2014, all uncompleted road projects and others were abandoned. We later revisited them when I came back in 2018. That was why I campaigned on the mantra of continuity that we are now seeing the gains.
“I am happy that the governor is ready to pay minimum wage. He is paying the salaries, pensions and gratuity of retirees. I am happy about this. The Hallmark of leadership is successive generation building.
“Most interesting was that, the governor didn’t change the contractors handling the projects. Those who started them completed them and they did a good job, if not they would have been revoked. Everything went well, this is the hallmark of good leadership”, Fayemi said.
Responding, Oyebanji, hailed Fayemi for laying a solid foundation for his administration to thrive on, by embarking on projects that serve as a launchpad for economic prosperity of the state at the twilight of his tenure.
“Governor Kayode Fayemi, you are a good mentor and coach. You have laid your bed very well. You were about to go when you awarded these road projects. You fought hard and won the election for me, which made it possible for me to continue with these roads.
“When I took over, I said to myself that before I start my own projects, I will complete whatever my predecessor started. All these projects belong to Ekiti like Governor Fayemi used to say, so let us protect them”, Oyebanji stated.
Speaking on the significance of the roads commissioned by Fayemi, the State Commissioner for Works, Mr Sola Adebayo, said they connect major suburban areas of the capital city and will boost transportation and open a new vista of opportunities for farmers, traders and commuters.
Adebayo noted that Oyebanji was committed to constructing a network of roads that would expand the scope of economic activities and upscale the local economy for employment generation and smoothening of emergency services by health institutions.
Speaking on behalf of the benefitting communities, the President, League of Imams and Alfas, Southwest, Edo and Delta States, Sheikh Jamiu Kewulere Bello, saluted the governor for prioritising the road, which now has a modern marker and street lights.
He said the people of the area would work hard to ensure Oyebanji’s re-election so the state could continue to benefit from his development strides.