‘Ekiti APC crisis may destroy Fayemi’s legacy’ - Party Chieftain, Tinubu

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Prince Adeolu Tinubu, has urged Governor Kayode Fayemi to resolve his differences with aggrieved party leaders, to protect his administration’s legacy.

He said there was no alternative to peaceful co-existence, stressing that it was only in an atmosphere devoid of chaos and political rivalry that Fayemi’s five-pillar agenda for development could be achieved.

The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, former Minister of Works Senator Dayo Adeyeye and 13 other aggrieved leaders have for some time been at daggers drawn with Governor Fayemi over the control of APC.

Speaking yesterday at Emure-Ekiti with reporters, the APC chieftain advised the governor to resolve his differences with the leaders, saying they should be preoccupied with how to effect socio-economic changes.

He said politicians shouldn’t have the erroneous impression that their grievances could be resolved by heating up the polity, adding that this would only make the state ungovernable and decelerate economic growth.

Tinubu said Ekiti has a long history of “peaceful coexistence rooted in humility, integrity, good name, communal relationship, selfless service and hard work”, noting that politics should not be allowed to truncate such long-standing tradition.

“I appeal to Governor Fayemi and the party leaders to eschew discord and embrace peace.

“The latest development where party leaders are locked in battles will only increase disunity and retard progress.

“No meaningful progress can be made under the climate of discord, unhealthy rivalry, violence and general disequilibrium.

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“Ekiti State is loaded with manpower potential. We are respected for our hard work and intelligence. Such potential will amount to nothing when not harnessed to bring out greatness for our dear state.

“Governor Fayemi, as the leader, must live by example by reaching out to aggrieved individuals across party lines on the need to ensure a peaceful Ekiti.

“The 2022 governorship election is still far. This is the right time for governance and when time to play politics comes, they should all reach out to our people to canvass for votes in a peaceful and civil manner,” he said.

Governor Fayemi has vowed that the state will henceforth become tough for perpetrators of rape and other sexual related violence.

Dr. Fayemi, who lamented the alarming rate of violence against children and women, said his administration would not relent in its efforts to curb the scourge.

The governor spoke yesterday in Ado-Ekiti while receiving the annual report on the management of gender based violence and the state’s GBV Strategic Plan.

He said the state is set to take decisive steps by enforcing stiffer penalties against violators of the existing GBV laws.