The United Kingdom chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the victory of Dr Kayode Fayemi in the just-concluded Ekiti state governorship election as “a call to higher service”.
The chapter stated this in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, following the announcement of the outcome of the election by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Fayemi was APC’s candidate in the governorship contest held on Saturday.
The statement was jointly signed by Mr Ade Omole the chapter’s leader and Mr Jocab Ogunseye, its spokesman.
The party described Ekiti people as the “wisest for electing a thorough-bred and respected individual” like Fayemi as their governor, adding that they would not be disappointed by the governor-elect.
“We are confident that Fayemi will not disappoint the teeming followers and the general public of the state who have reposed their trust in his ability and experience to provide good governance for the state.
“Fayemi has done it before; he has also worked in the higher level,” it said.
It said that while he served as Minister of Solid Minerals and Steel Development, Fayemi ensured that the moribund Ajaokuta Steal Company was revitalised.
It added that with Fayemi as governor, the people of Ekiti state should anticipate a new era different from the days of “stomach infrastructure”.
The APC chapter stated that the people of Ekiti would now have an era devoid of hooliganism and deceit in governance that had eroded the value of true governance and era that would not celebrate mediocrity.
“There is no doubt, expectations are great, the ceiling has been raised, the altitude is higher, and the people of Ekiti cannot afford to live in darkness as they have done in the past four years,” it said.
It, however, advised the governor-elect to provide an all-inclusive government irrespective of party affiliation “now that the election had been concluded”.
The chapter acknowledged that everyone had played a role in entrenching democracy in the state especially, and must therefore, be valued and respected.
In the result of the election as announced by INEC, Fayemi got 197, 459 votes to defeat his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) opponent and closest, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, who scored 178,121 votes.