Ministerial screening: Fayose’s position of Fayemi, height of statesmanship – Assembly

The Ekiti State House of Assembly has lauded the state Governor, Ayodele Fayose, over his charge that federal lawmakers from the state should ensure that a former Governor of the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, scales the screening of the National Assembly to become a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Fayose defeated then incumbent Fayemi of the opposition All Progressives Congress in the last governorship election in the state.

The Senate had said all the ministerial nominees would need the support of at least two senators from their states to pass the screening.

There are three senators from each of the 36 states.

A minister is expected to emerge from each state.

All the lawmakers in the National Assembly from Ekiti State are from the Peoples Democratic Party.

Fayose, however, charged them during the week to consider the benefit of having one of their own as a minister above party affiliations, and give Fayemi the necessary support to scale the screening hurdle.

The Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, in a statement by his Special Assistant (Media), Stephen Gbadamosi, said the entire Assembly was behind the governor for the selflessness he displayed by the charge.

Oluwawole said: “Fayemi remains the predecessor that mismanaged the resources of our dear state and makes the realisation of lofty ideals of his successor, Fayose, for the people of Ekiti State a Herculean task now. But for the governor to ask his party men and woman in the National Assembly to support his becoming a federal minister speaks volumes of his love for his state.

“That is the height of non-partisanship in politics. We in the House of Assembly respect and adore him that he canvassed for that help for Fayemi because he does not want the state to lose the opportunity of having a minister in the Federal Government.

“Put politics apart, Bashorun Ayo Fayose has displayed uncommon statesmanship by asking his party men to support the ministerial chance of his opposition party member, in the interest of the benefit such development will bring to Ekiti. This is what shows that a politician is a states man, and Fayose deserves a pat in the back for that. Politics should never be a do-or-die affair.

“If anybody needs to be scrutinised, call for his or her scrutinisation. If they need to be put in a place where they can contribute to the growth of their people, we should support that. It does not mean that they cannot be called to give account of their stewardship thereafter. Fayose has been displaying qualities Nigerian leaders need for us to move ahead as a nation.”

Oluwawole added that there was no way the impact of an indigene of Ekiti State being in ministerial position would not be felt in the state, reasoning that this was why Fayose would not want the opportunity to elude the state.