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By Salif Atojoko
President Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, mentioned that Dr Kayode Fayemi had exemplified service as an instructional, creator, administrator, and improvement skilled.
Tinubu shared his view in a birthday tribute he wrote to Fayemi, a former governor of Ekiti and ex-minister, who clocked 60 on Sunday.
The President mentioned his relationship with Fayemi dated again to their time collectively within the pro-democracy motion within the Nineteen Nineties.
According to him, this was a interval when the motion mounted native and worldwide campaigns towards navy dictatorship.
He mentioned that through the difficult Gen. Sani Abacha period, civil rights and pro-democracy activists, particularly these in exile, needed to depend on their ingenuity to outlive.
Tinubu mentioned that Fayemi’s brilliance, dedication, and strategic expertise had been invaluable to the trigger.
He mentioned the battle for Chief MKO Abiola’s launch from incarceration and the de-annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, then thought-about the freest and fairest in Nigeria, led to the constriction of the civic area by the navy.
Tinubu said that the navy authorities routinely raided and proscribed newspapers such because the Concord, Punch, Guardian, and magazines akin to Tempo/TheInformation and TELL.
“General Abacha was operating amok, arresting activists, jailing journalists, and instilling fears in anybody against his oppressive regime.
“There was a must have a radio station masking the actions of the pro-democracy motion at residence and overseas and placing extra vital strain on the Abacha junta.
“Dr Fayemi and other activists actualised the birth of the pro-democracy radio, Radio Kudirat, named in honour of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, who agents of the Abacha regime murdered,” the President wrote.
Continuing, he mentioned the deaths of Abacha and Abiola in 1998 modified the course of occasions, therefore the engagement technique wanted to be re-appraised.
According to him, when Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, who succeeded Abacha, introduced a brief transition programme, lots of them within the pro-democracy motion determined to return residence to take part.
“Dr Fayemi returned to Nigeria in 1999 to ascertain the Centre for Democracy and Development, an organisation devoted to selling democracy, peace-building and safety in Nigeria and Africa. He additionally operated the centre in Accra, Ghana.
“In 2006, Dr Fayemi transitioned from being a public mental to a political management position as state governor.
“After a keenly contested party primaries, Fayemi became our party’s candidate for the 2007 governorship election in Ekiti State against the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Engr. Segun Oni.”
Tinubu mentioned although the PDP candidate was declared the winner of the election, it was clear that Fayemi and the Action Congress had been cheated out of an obvious victory.
“We determined to problem the election on the Election Petitions Tribunal.
“After a long-drawn, painful, rigorous and emotionally draining court process that lasted over three years, Dr Fayemi was declared the winner in 2010 after a court-ordered re-run that also ended up at the Election Petitions Tribunal and the Appeal Court,” he mentioned
He said that Fayemi additionally performed a pivotal position within the merger of opposition events, which crystallised into the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013.
Tinubu mentioned that Fayemi chaired the panel that carried out the presidential primaries in Lagos, which produced President Muhammad Buhari because the candidate.
He added that Fayemi then deployed his power and organisational potential because the Director of Policy of the APC/Buhari Campaign Council, which efficiently prosecuted the 2015 presidential election.
After serving as minister in President Muhammadu Buhari’s first time period, Tinubu mentioned Fayemi had the privilege of returning to workplace because the governor of Ekiti State in 2018.
He mentioned as a two-term governor, Fayemi served the individuals amid extreme financial challenges, and undoubtedly made his mark within the governance of Ekiti State.
Tinubu mentioned in exercising his democratic proper, Fayemi joined the presidential race as an aspirant on the platform of APC forward of the 2023 elections.
“I used to be additionally an aspirant within the social gathering. I introduced my ambition properly forward of different aspirants in our social gathering.
“After crisscrossing the nation searching for the assist of social gathering delegates, Dr Fayemi, on the social gathering conference night time, was gracious when he brazenly introduced that he was stepping down for me.
His resolution demonstrated exceptional humility and comradeship.
“Dr Fayemi has exemplified service as an instructional, creator, administrator, and improvement skilled.
“As he turns 60, I wish him continued health and fulfilment in the years ahead,” concluded Tinubu. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Oluwole Sogunle