Just In: Ekiti State Gov, Fayemi Joins Presidential Race

Ekiti State Governor and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Kayode Fayemi will formally declare his intention to run for the position of President of the country on Wednesday in Abuja.

His Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, made this known in a statement to journalists on Tuesday.

According to him, Wednesday’s declaration, tagged, ‘Unveiling My Nigeria Agenda’, would lay to rest speculations on whether he would run for the Presidency or not.

Oyebode said his principal had discussed his plan to run for the number one office with President Muhammadu Buhari traditional rulers and political leaders across states in the Federation.

The statement was titled, ‘2023: Fayemi Joins Presidential Race, Unfolds Agenda After Nationwide Consultations With Leaders’.

It partly read, “Dr Fayemi’s engagements with political and traditional leaders went on side by side with consultations with his colleague governors, especially those elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress. As at date he has conferred with and shared his vision with no fewer than 20 of the 22 APC governors, in the consultation process that is expected to run till the party’s primaries, later in the month.”

“The NGF Chairman said the engagements with the traditional rulers and political leaders provided an avenue to share and listen to their perspectives on the ideal approaches to building a united country based on justice, freedom, equity and the rule of law. The aggregate opinion, counsel and goodwill received during the consultation period will form the crux of his declaration on Wednesday at the nation’s capital city,” the statement added.

Born on February 9, 1965, Fayemi, had chaired the party’s National Convention Planning Committee that produced President Muhammadu Buhari as Presidential Candidate for the 2015 general election.

He was Governor of Ekiti State between 2010 and 2014 before he returned in 2018. He also served as Minister of Mines and Steel Development between 2015 and 2018.

With today’s statement, Fayemi, an associate of APC leader, Bola Tinubu, is officially in the ring with the ex-governor of Lagos State; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi; Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello; former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha; former Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu; former Ogun State governor, Ibikunle Amosun; amongst others jostling to be the flagbearer at the end of the APC presidential primary scheduled to hold at the end of May 2022.

Fayemi is also in the race with his predecessor, Ayodele Fayose, of the Peoples Democratic Party. Other PDP aspirants include ex-Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi; media personality, Dele Momodu; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal; Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed; amongst others.

The PDP’s presidential primary has also been scheduled for the end of May while Nigerians watch with rapt keenness as the two prominent parties elect their flagbearers at their conventions in four weeks’ time.

Whilst the APC pegged its Nomination and Expression of Interest Forms for N100m, the PDP sold its own for N40m.