Fayemi sets out his agenda saying clearing civil servants salary arrears will be done within six months

EKITI State's new governor-elect Dr Kayode Fayemi has outlined his immediate plans for governance pointing out that upon assuming office the first thing he will do is clear the eight month backlog of salary arrears owed to civil servants.

Over the weekend, Ekiti State went to the polls and Dr Fayemi, a former governor who served between 2000 and 2014 was returned to office. Nigeria's immediate past minister of solid minerals, Dr Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) beat incumbent deputy governor Professor Kolapo Olusola of the Peoples Democratic Party in a keenly contested race to succeed Governor Ayo Fayose.

In his acceptance speech given at his residence in Isan-Ekiti, Dr Fayemi said Ekiti State lost value under Governor Fayose. In the speech, he  also promised to re-introduce free education across the state.

Dr Fayemi said: “Ekiti people should expect the eight-point agenda redoubled and they should expect the backlog of salaries cleared within the first six months of my coming to the office. They should expect the re-introduction of free education, including the payment of fees for the West Africa Examination Council, National Examination Council, National Business and Technical Examinations Board and the national entrance examination into tertiary institutions which they lost out on.

“We will re-introduce a social security scheme for the elderly in an enhanced manner and they should expect the return of our youth volunteer programme. Luckily, the federal government has started a programme similar to what we used to have in Ekiti State, called N-Power and we will add our own initiative to that programme."

He added that the outgoing government is not interested in what happens to the young in society beyond using them as thugs and forcing them to eat crumbs from the table of the master. Dr Fayemi said Ekiti people should now expect a return to decency, decorum, integrity and values.

Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State  described the victory of Dr Fayemi as the worst political robbery in Nigeria’s democratic history. Speaking during a thanksgiving service in Port Harcourt, Governor Wike boasted that the APC would have no room to re-enact the perceived Ekiti political robbery in Rivers State.

Governor Wike said: “Don’t be worried about what happened in Ekiti State as we are prepared. It will not happen here in Rivers State. I have never experienced that kind of robbery in politics.

“I told my colleagues, don’t give them any chance. Most of them in APC are hoping they will repeat the same in Rivers State but we are waiting. Let your spirit not be down, work hard and victory will be ours.”

Governor  Fayose’s tenure will end on October 16, after which Dr Fayemi will be sworn-in as governor. Like many other states in Nigeria, the state owes its workers salary arrears as reduced federal allocation has made it hard for governors to pay them, with Ekiti having an eight month backlog.