Dr. Kayode Fayemi, a former Governor of Ekiti State and the previous Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, congratulated Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on winning the presidential election on February 25.
Announcing his support for a government of national unity on Wednesday, Fayemi praised Tinubu for his “political resilience, brilliance, and shrewdness,” noting that the incoming president had “mentored a vast number of Nigeria’s political leadership over the years and worked hard to develop and sustain progressive ideology in Nigeria.”
He noted that, “Tinubu was the leader of opposition politics when it was not fashionable to be in the opposition in Nigeria, but through hard work, foresight, and compromise, he, working with other leaders, formed the APC, which has now won three consecutive presidential elections.”
Fayemi stated that he believed Tinubu’s administration will stand up for the rights of common Nigerians, and that the former governor of Lagos State would seek to advance the country’s peace, development, and economic success.
He said, “With the Asiwaju I know, I trust that his administration will fight for the interests of ordinary Nigerians and work hard to achieve our national goals of peace, unity, and economic prosperity. While Asiwaju might have been the presidential candidate of the APC, he would be President of all Nigerians and promote unity, equity, and fairness.
“I thank all members of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) and loyal party men and women across the length and breadth of the country who worked hard for our Party’s victory at the polls. This victory would not have been possible without the diligence and faithfulness of our members.
“I also wish to thank Nigerians who have trusted our party with presidential leadership again. I want to assure Nigerians that we will not disappoint and implement as faithfully as possible our presidential campaign manifesto.”
He further appealed to political leaders and actors to “shun inflammatory remarks, and encourage their followers to do the same,” adding that “we cannot burn down our country or truncate this precious democracy because of one electoral loss. There will be more electoral opportunities in future”
He also called on Tinubu and the APC to “seriously consider a government of national unity given the excellent performance of the opposition political parties,” noting that, “in this historic election cycle, there is no victor and no vanquished. This is not a time for triumphalism but a time to celebrate the resilience of ordinary Nigerians with sobriety.”
