Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Kayode Fayemi, on Thursday said difference in political affiliations would not be enough to prevent him from identifying with his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde. He was speaking in Ibadan, the state capital at the commissioning of a 7.25klm road constructed by the administration of Makinde.
Fayemi stressed that his primary duty is to protect the interest of all the thirty-six states governors irrespective of party affiliation.
“As a Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum,my primary duty is to protect,defend and promote the interest of all thirty-six(36) states Governors in Nigeria regardless of party affiliation and we have governors from all sides,APC,PDP and even APGA,”Fayemi said
“APC only happens for now to have the majority and that’s why the responsibility of chairmanship of the forum rest on my shoulder and I can not deliver the responsibility without the cooperation and full collaboration of all my brothers across the country.
“This is a duty beyond party and it is a pledge and promise we made to our people when we were elected into office to serve them without hinderance.
Fayemi further urged those at the helms of affairs to do away with the mentality of what he described as “,winner takes all” style of governance adding the majoritarian democracy is not working for Nigeria as a country.
“If what we are about is the development of our people,we can disagree without being disagreeable. We can still hold our principle corners as members of the People’s Democratic Party,All Progressives Congress and any other party to which we may belong but once elections are over and it’s time for governance we all should rally round those who have been saddled with that responsiblty via the ballot.
“I just returned from the Republic of Kenya where I went for the inauguration of the new president and this was an election won by 0.5% margin between the victorious party and the opposition.
“In a divided society,when you have an election that’s been fought on such victoriolic divisive manner,we all hold it into a duty in the interest of ordnary people to come together and work for the overall benefits of our people.
“You can not win an election with 50.5% and tell the person who loss the election with 49.7% to go to hell. It’s not going to work
“I hope Nigeria would ultimately get to a point whereby those who won 49% will also have a seat at the table in a compulsional representation manner to represent that 49% while the winner would also represent the majority of people that he has received their votes.
“This majoritarian democracy is not going to work if the winner continue to take all the benefits to the detriment of “49%” loser.
“I do not believe that if you have 49% support that should be discarded and flown away whilst the person who has 50% should take everything away.
“I hope our constitution arrangement will at some point begin to recognize this delicate balancing act inorder for us to deepen democracy and to ensure that all our people enjoy the benefit beyond the generosity of public office holders.”
He commended Governor Makinde for not abandoning the project left by the previous adminstration adding that the road was meant to be plied by the members of APC,PDP and those who do not belong to any political party.
He extolled him(Makinde) for being a broad-minded,focused and a relationship builder adding that he’s a strong pillar of support in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum,NGF.
“I thank the Governor,the government and the good people of Oyo State.
“I’m here as Chairman of NGF to do my duty to a member of our forum who had invited me and a friend who has delivered a dividends of Democracy to his people in Oyo State and to stress that at every moment we must be able to rise above ourself no matter how difficult that may be inorder to serve overall interest of our people.”