From left: Monsuru Adebola, Femi Awoniyi, Segun Ojo and Isaac Atibioke at the endorsement of Fayemi by Ekiti Diaspora Europe
Ekiti indigenes living in Europe have endorsed the candidacy of Governor Kayode Fayemi for the forthcoming 21 June election in the State. The decision was made in Frankfurt at a meeting convened by the Ekiti Diaspora Europe (EDE) 2014, a coalition of groups from all parts of Europe that have come together as a result of their concerns about the coming governorship election in their State.
The Frankfurt forum, in a statement signed by Femi Awoniyi and Isaac Atibioke, said: “In view of the sterling performance of Governor Fayemi and the many positive changes witnessed in the State since his inception of office we consider him to be the best candidate to continue to lead the State for the next four years.”
The EDE 2014 meeting, attended by more than 150 participants from across Europe, said its decision to back Fayemi was also predicated on the need for the consolidation of the many policies, programmes and projects of his government which are creating a basis for the sustainable economic and social development of the State.
The EDE 2014 also praised Dr Fayemi for bringing peace back to the State after more than seven years of political violence and instability. The group therefore called on the other governorship aspirants to carry out their campaign activities peacefully because the political environment is key to economic growth and development, explaining while it is concerned about the news coming from Ekiti about violence and fears of election manipulation.
The Frankfurt meeting appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan “as the chief custodian of national security to ensure that the election takes place in a peaceful atmosphere.” It warned that any attempt to manipulate the Ekiti election would increase the security troubles of the President and undermine his capacity to build the national and international coalitions necessary to fight the Boko Haram terrorists and other forces of destabilisation in the country.
The EDE 2014 also called on INEC to ensure free, fair and credible polls and that the election’s outcome “gives a clear, unmistakable and emphatic expression to the supreme will of Ekiti voters”.
In his keynote address, Awoniyi, who is the Publisher of the international bi-monthly magazine The African Courier, described Fayemi as a “visionary leader”, whose 8-Point Agenda has “positively and massively impacted” on the lives of the people of the State within such a short period of time. “In future, no history of public policy in Nigeria can be written without giving due regard to this revolutionary and progressive programme of governance.”
Atibioke, a business consultant, said Fayemi was not just a performing governor, but has become a role model for good governance for the rest of Nigeria.
The meeting resolved to send a team, led by Awoniyi, immediately to Nigeria to support Governor Fayemi’s re-election campaign efforts and also to monitor the electoral process.