Ekiti: Fayemi’s welfarist approach to governance
By Tola Ajayi-Odoko and Adewole Kehinde
A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Otunba Kayode Fasae, alias Jimlas, has described the Dr. John Kayode Fayemi administration as a welfarist government which does not only understand what the people want but knows how to give it to them.
He was speaking with newsmen on the occasion of 100 days of Fayemi’s governance in Ekiti which celebration featured some development programmes such as flagging off the 7.25 km new Iyin Road, signing of the 2019 state budget and launch of the youth employment/empowerment schemes that would cater for 6,300 beneficiaries as well as address on state of the state.
His words: ” This is my first time that is I’ll be close to government activities like this. My impression is that now Ekiti, not even APC alone, can feel the presence of a serious government. They can now see that it is another thing to do propaganda and another thing to really understand what you are doing.
” This is the first time that Ekiti people really appreciate the value in the leadership of a qualitative governor in the person of Governor Fayemi. It is the first time they were unable to compare him with others, after being governed by deceit, now they know better.
” In the last three months, the government has paid four months salary. Roads are being graded in several local government areas , Governor Fayemi has paid for WAEC, JAMB forms for many students in the state. He has enabled job creation in the state and reduced fees of schools in the primary and secondary schools, and the people are yearning for more and very any more will be done for them. The beauty of democracy is you having a governor , a President who understands the system,” he said.
Fasae who described Governor Fayemi’s administration as a welfarist one, said: ” Fayemi understands the needs of an average citizen. What we had in the last administration was an aberration and we pray we don’t witness such again. This first 100 days of Fayemi is far better than the four years we had in the last administration.
” This time around you can feel governance in its real sense, there is pure separation of power as every arm of government is allowed to perform its functions independently and effectively. It is not like what happened in the last administration where it is only one man calling the shots. No one was stifled in discharging his duty. No such situation where a governor would go to town and drink paraga, , distribute some Naira notes to drivers but come back again to arm twist some of them, seize their vehicle and recover the money he has given them. Fayemi is giving everyone a chance to realize himself. He is taking the state to the next level where we will recover our lost glory,” he said.
The APC chieftain also spoke about governor Fayemi having a better idea on how to deliver dividends of democracy for Ekiti people saying: “l had the opportunity to meet one of the candidates who had defeated from PDP to APC. He said that when he went out with Fayemi during the campaign, he was amazed that Fayemi had done so many for Ekiti in his first tenure but did not blow it open. He said the governor had done far more than any other governor before him. Unlike a situation where Fayose came in and abandoned the on going projects.
” In the last three months, Fayemi is laying the foundation for quality governance in the state and you can see that many development partners are now flooding the state because the atmosphere is no longer choked for development and progress. The Governor has been going round, to Abuja and other places to attract investors and seek development for the state.”
While comparing the style of governance of immediate past governor Ayo Fayose with Dr Fayemi, he said: ” Let us compare the style of governance of Fayemi with that of Fayose. During Fayose’s time you just hear him shouting every month that the government is owing N89 billion but would refuse to show figures or facts for it. But you can see Fayemi when he revealed that the state is having a debt of over N155 billion , he took his time to itemize a breakdown of all the debts owed by Fayose. So you can easily verify them. And also know how to work on how to pay the debts and prioritize them.
” I felt that indeed we are working with a governor who understands what he is doing and plans properly before embarking on his projects. From his actions you can see that he is a welfarist. He has promised that in a year he would defray all arrears of salaries owed. ”
Fasae who had survived gunshot wounds alongside APC senatorial candidate for Ekiti Central district, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele on May 5, advised Nigerians to vote for the APC in the coming polls because of the good government governor Fayemi is giving in Ekiti: ” I will advise Nigerians now, if you see a successful leader, look around him, he must have surrounded himself with good people. Whatever Governor Fayemi is doing now that is good is because he belongs to a party that have given him the template to work.
I will advise an average Nigerian to study Ekiti as a successful state under Fayemi and use that to support APC and vote President Buhari.
PDP never had a good plan to develop Nigeria. APC has a strong template to work with in developing the nation. So I will advise Nigerian to be patient with the Buhari government, four years is not enough to repair all that has been destroyed from the 1970s. And I can assure them that we will eventually enjoy the dividends of democracy that we want.
Fayemi is a mam of his words, whatever he has promised Ekiti people he will surely fulfill them. He is a promise keeper.”