Former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has praised Governor Biodun Oyebanji for being a worthy successor with an excellent record of performance and for the wonderful manner in which he has united all leaders of diverse political interests in the state.
He said not all leaders are endowed with such skillsand ingenuity to achieve that much within two years in office.
Dr. Fayemi stated these in Ado Ekiti on Sunday while commissioning two road projects, namely: Agric Olope-Odo Ado-Moferere Road and GRA 3rd extension road (phase one), initiated by his administration and completed by Governor Oyebanji.
Fayemi praised the Governor Oyebanjifor 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.
He saluted his successor for exhibiting good leadership and for delivering on his campaign promises to the masses, saying he was proud and elated to associate with Oyebanji’s enigmatic accomplishments in two years.
“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, Fayemi stated.
He urged the Governor 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 the minimum wage. He ispaying salaries, pensions, and gratuities to retirees. I am happy about these. 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 a hallmark of good leadership,” Fayemi said.
In his commendations, Oyebanji saluted Fayemi for laying a solid foundation for his administration to spring by embarking on legacy projects that serve as launchpads for economic prosperity for the state in 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 advised.
Speaking on the significance of the roads, the 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 said Oyebanji was incurably committed to constructing a network of roads that will 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 benefiting communities, the President, League of Imams and Alfas, Southwest, Edo, and Delta States, Sheikh Jamiu Kewulere Bello, saluted the governor for prioritizing 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.