Build on Fayemi’s legacy – Govs Zulum, Bagudu advise Oyebanji

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum and Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu have advised Ekiti State Incoming Governor Biodun Oyebanji to build on the enduring legacy of his predecessor, Dr Kayode Fayemi.

The governors spoke on Sunday in Ado Ekiti, the State capital at an international valedictory conference in honour of the outgoing governor at the Obafemi Awolowo Civic Centre.

Mr Bagadu and Zulum’s duo applauded the outgoing administration for laying a solid foundation for good governance in Ekiti State through Fayemi’s purposeful leadership and people-centric policies and programmes.

The governors showered praises on Fayemi for rising above ethnoreligious and cultural sentiments and building himself into a pan-Nigerian leader who is loved across political, religious and ethnic divides.

They added that the outgoing governor has built trust between himself and the residents through good governance that has touched every sector, making Ekiti a microcosm of development, despite the paucity of funds.

Bagudu urged the incoming government to overhaul the nucleus of governance in the state by building on the gains that Fayemi accomplished.

The Kebbi governor described this as the best way to put Ekiti on an irreversible gear of sustainable growth and development.

He said: “Continuity in governance is key and germane to economic development. I charge Incoming Governor Biodun Oyebanji to build on the legacy of his predecessor. Sustainability in governance is an essential ingredient of democracy.

“Governor Fayemi is one leader that is committed to Nigeria’s dream. He is one leader that believes in the unity of this nation. He believes in progressive ideas. His utmost aim is to ensure that people get dividends of democracy.”

Speaking about the challenges facing the nation, Bagudu urged Nigerians not to despair or get disillusioned.

The governor said the level of Nigeria’s indebtedness should not be a reason for people to be hopeless about the country.

 “Even great nations, like the United States of America (U.S.A), which is even more economically advanced than Nigeria, are even more indebted than Nigeria. What we need now are investments through global partnerships for over 200 million population, to build our economy and build our people,” he said.

Setting a strong agenda for Oyebanji, Prof. Zulum urged the incoming Ekiti State governor to invest in a knowledge-driven economy and fight poverty that is ravaging the people for his reign to be indelible in annals of history.

The Borno State governor advised Oyebanji to focus attention on the infrastructural deficit in roads and other public utilities, which could be beneficial to the populace while superintending over the state.

He described this as a pivot and boost to economic development.

Zulum added: “Every serious-minded government today in Nigeria must focus attention on poverty reduction, infrastructural deficit and the emerging climate change to curbing natural disasters.

“The incoming governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has got the experience, having been part of this government. The expectation is that he will continue where Governor Fayemi stopped.”

In a lecture, titled: A Scholar in Power: Reflections on Power, Democracy And the Future of Nigeria, a Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania in the U.S.A, Dr Adewale Adebamwi, said no federal system can be perfect.

The don harped on the need for the current weak Nigerian system to be rejigged and strengthened.

He stressed that this is the only way to ensure that people are secured and all the strata of Nigerian society are well protected.

Adebanwi averred that the most daring thing to an average Nigerian is good governance. The don noted that some agitators call such people “reformists” in the hope that they would turn Nigeria into a perfect society.

Dignitaries at the event included former Edo State governor, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; leader of Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), Hon. Wale Oshun; ex-Minister of State for Mines and Steel, Bawa Bwari; Senator Domingo Obende, and former Director General of the National Orientation Agency, Garba Abari.

Others included a former Executive Secretary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and United Nations (UN) Special Representative in West Africa and the Sahel Region, Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas; Ekiti State Deputy Speaker Hakeem Jamiu, who represented Speaker Funminiyi Afuye, and Head of Service, Mr Bamidele Agbede.

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Ilesanmi Adekanbi

Ilesanmi Adekanbi, writers and loves writing the story of politics, He is a movie addict. Adekanbi is a Senior Content Creator at Newsflash Nigeria contact me on email: [email protected]

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