Fayemi Joins Presidential Race, Declares Ambition Wednesday In Abuja

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Ekiti State Governor and the Chairman, of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Kayode Fayemi has declared his intention to run for the position of the president of the country.

Fayemi will declare his ambition  Wednesday in Abuja at a ceremony, tagged “Unveiling My Nigeria Agenda”, which is the climax of his extensive consultations across the geo-political zones in the last six weeks, and also lay to rest speculations on his ambition. 

Fayemi disclosed that he hinted President Mohammadu Buhari of his ambition last month, and also noted that he had sought counsel, guidance and support from traditional and political leaders across states in the federation.

He started the consultation in Owo, Ondo State, where he met with the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye, in the town that is renowned for progressive politics in the country, and the birthplace of the defunct Action Group (AG) led by the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo.

Fayemi’s engagements with political and traditional leaders went on side by side with consultations with his colleague governors, especially those elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). To date, he has conferred with and shared his vision with no fewer than 20 of the 22 APC governors, in the consultation process that is expected to run till the party’s primaries, later in the month.

The NGF Chairman said the engagements with the traditional rulers and political leaders provided an avenue to share and listen to their perspectives on the ideal approaches to building a united country based on justice, freedom, equity and the rule of law. The aggregate opinion, counsel and goodwill received during the consultation period will form the crux of his declaration on Wednesday in the nation’s capital city.

Born on February 9, 1965, Fayemi holds degrees in History and International Relations from the University of Lagos and Obafemi Awolowo University respectively, a Doctorate in War Studies from King’s College, University of London and is a Fellow of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Ibadan.

His research and policy development interests include Natural Resource Governance, Democratisation, Constitutionalism, Security Sector Governance, Civil-Military Relations and Regionalism in the Global Context. He was the founding director of the Centre for Democracy & Development (CDD), a research and training institute dedicated to the study and promotion of democratisation, peace-building and human security in Africa.

As a central figure in the coalition of civil society actors that resisted oppressive military rule in Nigeria in the early 1990s, he was central to the founding and running of opposition radio stations while in exile. His role in the struggle to restore democratic governance in Nigeria is documented in his book Out of the Shadows: Exile and the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy in Nigeria (CDD, 2005). His other publications include Mercenaries: The African Security Dilemma, co-edited with Abdel-Fatau Musah (Pluto Press, 2000); Deepening the Culture of Constitutionalism: The Role of Regional Institutions in Constitutional Development in Africa (CDD, 2003); and Security Sector Governance in Africa: A Handbook (co-edited with Nicole Ball, CDD, 2004); Reclaiming the Trust (Amandla, 2012); Regaining the Legacy (Amandla, 2013); and Legacy of Honour and Service (Amandla, 2014).  His most recent book, “Unfinished Greatness”, (which was unveiled in February), articulates his vision of a Nigeria Agenda that is inclusive, progressive, equitable and people-centred.

Fayemi is a prominent member of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and chaired the party’s National Convention Planning Committee that produced President Mohammadu Buhari as Presidential Candidate for the 2015 general election. He also served as the Director, of Policy Research and Strategy of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.

He was Governor of Ekiti State between 2010 and 2014 and later served as Minister of Mines and Steel Development in the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between 2015 and 2018. As Minister, he led the administration’s efforts in repositioning the Nigerian Mining sector to contribute optimally to the priority agendas of diversifying the country’s revenue base and creating jobs and economic opportunities for Nigerians. He resigned as Minister to contest the governorship of Ekiti State for a second term in 2018. He won the election and was inaugurated for a second term as Governor of Ekiti State on October 16, 2018. 

He is married to Erelu Bisi Fayemi, the renowned women’s and children’s rights advocate, international development specialist, writer and social entrepreneur and blessed with a son. He has received several awards and recognitions at home and abroad and holds the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).

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