A former governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has said the Peoples Democratic Party is only seeking to return to power in 2019 so as to resume looting the treasury as done in the past.
Fayemi, currently the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, also urged Nigerians not to use the current fuel scarcity to rate President Muhammadu Buhari’s performance.
He stated this while addressing some journalists in his home town of Isan Ekiti in the Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State on Wednesday.
He said, “What (fuel scarcity) we are witnessing is just a normal curve in the life of any administration. We will get over it and move on, but largely the President has not disappointed Nigerians.
“What the PDP wants to come back to do is stealing. The option for Nigerians in 2019 is not to return to the old age of criminalisation and brigandage by not voting for the PDP, because there is nothing to convince Nigerians that they have changed with the shenanigans that characterised their national convention and the poor performances by their governors.
“Up till now, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan (former President) and his henchmen have not apologised about how they ran the country aground. So, there is nothing to suggest that the PDP remains a credible alternative to the APC in 2019.”
Fayemi said the Judicial Commission of Inquiry that recently indicted him was raised by Governor Ayodele Fayose to smear his reputation and make him unpopular.
He said, “Fayose’s stock in trade is lying against someone to score political gains. They started with the probe of N852m UBEC fund and when they knew they could not go far, they started concocting lies and said I looted N17bn.
“Let us wait and see who will go to jail between Fayose and I. I have been out of office and I am still moving free, but I am sure he won’t be able to walk free on the streets after losing immunity because of the way he had run the state aground.”
Fayemi, who did not make any categorical statement on whether he was nursing a governorship ambition or not, said the APC would ensure it wins the state governorship poll in 2018.
The minister boasted that he had used his office to bring many benefits to the state.
He added, “This government has begun the construction of a federal secretariat and housing estate in Ekiti and the rail-line was extended to this state in the Federal Government’s proposal due to my intervention.”
“No fewer than 4,000 Ekiti indigenes are benefitting from N-power and very soon, it will go up to 12,000. The proposal for kaolin exploration in Ekiti has just been completed; that of the bauxite will begin soon.
“President Buhari’s government is planning to set up a cottage industry in Ekiti for the sake of the solid minerals exploration and I have enlisted small scale miners around Ijero Ekiti for them to be able to benefit from the N5bn loan set up by the Bank of Industry.”
