Ekiti 2018: Buhari Gives Fayemi Leave of absence to contest for APC Guber Primary

Agency ReporterApril 23, 2018

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President Muhammadu Buhari has granted the request of Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development to proceed on leave to enable him to contest for the governorship seat under the of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State.

Yinka Oyebode, the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, who hinted this on Sunday, also stated that the leave would commence on April 9.

The aide said that the information became imperative in order to educate certain individuals calling for Fayemi’s disqualification over non-resignation from his present position.

A group, APC Concerned Members, had urged the national leadership of the party to stop Fayemi over the matter,

Olayinka described members of the group as a bunch of poorly educated individuals, who don’t know about the workings of the party and the Nigerian constitution.

He said, “Dr. Ife has spoken out of ignorance and they are being mischievous. They are ignorant of the workings of the party and the laws of the land. You can’t sit down in your house and determine who is going to be disqualified. The party has a machinery to look at every case on its merit and that is why you have the screening committee.

“There is due process in nomination and screening before you even get to the primary. There is no law in the land that says that a serving minister should vacate his seat before the primary. What the law says is 30 days before the election. As a matter of fact, the honourable minister has been granted leave.

“Talking about the white paper, everybody knows that you can’t build something on nothing. The minister had earlier challenged the composition of that panel. The case is in court and that is why he did not appear before the panel. The white paper will not stand. It is only a court of competent jurisdiction that can recommend disqualification of Fayemi.

“It is only when the court says that that the party and INEC take a cue from it. An individual or a sitting governor cannot disqualify anybody. That is why the law has put it that white paper alone can’t disqualify anybody. It is only a court of competent jurisdiction that can do that. The group is poorly educated about the working of the party and the constitution.”