VIDEO: Governor Kayode Fayemi Makes Concession Speech On Fayose's Victory
Few hours after the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, was declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as the winner of the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State, western Nigeria, the incumbent governor, Kayode Fayemi has released a concession speech.
It could be recalled that, according to results released by INEC, Mr Fayose had scored 203, 090 votes to beat the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Fayemi, who scored 120, 433.
The electoral body also announced that the candidate of the Labour Party, Bamidele Michael Opeyemi, scored 18,135 votes to come third.
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While reacting to the results announced by INEC early Sunday morning, Governor Fayemi said: "If indeed this is the will of the Ekiti People, I stand in deference to your will. If the result of the elections is an expression of the voice of our people, we must all heed your voice."
* PDP's Ayo Fayose
Below is the full concession speech made by the incumbent Governor Fayemi:
"Yesterday, Ekiti State decided. Following the gubernatorial elections held in the land of honour, Ekiti State, Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially returned the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the election.
If indeed this is the will of the Ekiti People, I stand in deference to your will. If the result of the elections is an expression of the voice of our people, we must all heedyour voice.
I have just spoken with my brother, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, congratulating him on his victory. In a few hours from now, I would be meeting the Governor-elect to discuss the future of our dear state and how we would work together to institute a smooth transition programme.
It has been a hard fought election. As expected, in the course of the campaigns, there were unsavory episodes as the candidates toured the nooks and crannies of the state to sell ourselves to the people. Elections tend to be highly divisive affairs that often see brother rising against brother. Despite our diverse party affiliations, and regardless of which way we voted on Saturday, we must remember that we are all sons and daughters of Ekiti State. Ekiti is ours to build together.
On our part, over the course of the campaigns, we presented our scorecards before the people of Ekiti State. We never at any point took your support for granted. We campaigned, we canvassed and we traversed the nooks and crannies of this State. Our performance and achievements in office will remain the backdrop against which the next government and indeed future governments will be assessed. We are proud that with the support of Ekiti people, we have raised the bar of excellence in governance. In all, we gave our best, for conscience and for posterity.
Indeed a new sociology of the Ekiti people may have evolved. However, the task of understanding how the outcome of this election has defined us as a people will be that of scholars. For us as an administration and a cadre of political leaders in Ekiti State, we have fought a good fight, we have kept faith.
To members of our party, our campaign team and indeed all Ekiti people who defied the siege on our state to cast their votes for our party, I salute your exemplary courage and doggedness in the face of harassment. Thank you for staying the course. The incidences of brazen harassment, intimidation and allied infractions on fundamental humanrights, which many of you suffered in the hands of agents of the state, would be documented and communicated to the appropriate authorities, for the records.
I thank you all for listening.
May God bless the land of honour, Ekiti State, Nigeria.
May God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria."
Meanwhile, shortly after Mr Fayode was declared winner of the Ekiti Governorship elections, President Goodluck Jonathan had gone on his official Facebook account to post congratulatory message on Fayose's victory.
Prior to the election, political analysts had predicted the contest to be between the candidates of three parties – the incumbent governor, Kayode Fayemi of the APC, a former governor of the state, Ayo Fayose of the PDP, and a member of the House of Representatives, Opeyemi Bamidele of the Labour Party.
Watch below video for Fayemi's speech:
Source: Legit.ng
