Fayemi collects Certificate of Return, says 'this victory does not belong to me alone'

Remarks by Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Governor-Elect, Ekiti State at the Collection of Certificate of Return as Governor-Elect on Wednesday, July 18, 2018 in Ado-Ekiti.

I am pleased to make these few remarks at this important event which marks the culmination of the electoral process for the 2018 Ekiti Gubernatorial Election, which commenced with the “Notice of Election” on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, being the first activity on the timeline.

Since then, INEC has led us all through a thorough fourteen step schedule of activities as published, and as guided by relevant provisions of the Nigerian constitution and the electoral act. All of these activities together make up the electoral process, the last being the conduct of the election on Saturday, July 14, 2018.

The entire electoral process make up one of the sacred tenets of our democratic practice that guarantees that the people have the power to decide those to rule them through the ballot. It is our civic duty and responsibility to ensure that we uphold the legitimacy and credibility of the electoral process as a means to deepening democratisation and by extension good governance in the country.

Very often, the entire electoral process is seen through the prism of just two or more candidates jostling for a position. Also, we frequently consider just the day of elections as important. I however want to use this opportunity to stress that there are multiple actors in the electoral process, and the entire period leading up to and after the elections are just as important as the day of elections itself.

When we see things from this perspective, we realise that just as I have stated before, this victory does not belong to me alone, but to every actor and participant that ensured the success of the electoral process. Today, I choose to celebrate every single one of us here present – members of the Press and Civil Society; Officers and Men of our Security Agencies; Leaders and Members of the Political Parties; Women, Youth and Trade Organisations; Religious Organisations; the Traditional Institutions; and most importantly the electorate – the good people of Ekiti State.

Together, we have enriched the process in our own different ways, and contributed to the successful outcome of the exercise. This has been confirmed by a broad range of observers from Civil Society and the International Community, that the entire process was free, fair and credible.

Nonetheless, we certainly have a lot to learn from the recently concluded exercise. There are aspects that worked very well, while some aspects show some room for improvements. It is therefore our collective responsibility to work on the issues and ensure that we keep on improving on our conduct of elections and other tenets of our democracy.

It is, therefore, unfortunate the remarks that have been made by the Prof. Olusola Eleka, the Deputy Governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, disparaging the electoral process and rejecting the results. His party at the national level also followed the same rhetoric.

I encourage Prof. Eleka and his party to seek redress through the constitutionally specified channels and desist from maligning my party, the good people of Ekiti, and all the men and women of goodwill that have stood by us to ensure the success of the elections,

For us in the APC and the Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation, even at the risk of being considered slow, we have conducted ourselves with the highest level of honour and regard for the provisions of the constitution, the electoral act, and the guidelines for the election, as published by the INEC.

Therefore, the will of the people – indeed, the will of God shall stand, and this certificate I hold today is an affirmation of that fact. It is not just a mere paper with writings on it, it is rather a validation of the voice of the people and an affirmation that the people would always have the power.

I, therefore, congratulate the good people of Ekiti State – the Land of Honour, for conducting ourselves honourably throughout the exercise and for voting to Reclaim our Land and Restore our Values. I pledge that we shall keep faith with the mandate you have given us by delivering the tangible benefits of good governance that impacts positively on your lives and livelihoods.