Fayemi meets Buhari ahead of Ekiti governorship election

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on Tuesday met behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari. The meeting took place in the President’s office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, a few hours after Buhari returned to the country from Mauritania where he attended the 31st Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government. The Ekiti State governorship election holds on July 14.

Fayemi left the Presidential Villa at about 12.30pm without talking to State House correspondents who wanted to ask him the purpose of the visit. The Presidency had also yet to issue a press statement on the meeting as of the time of filing this report. It will be recalled that Fayemi recently resigned his appointment as the Minister of Mines and Steel Development to enable him to contest the governorship election. The Federal Executive Council on June 6 held a valedictory session for him. Buhari had at the session extolled the virtues of Fayemi who he said he reluctantly released to pursue his political ambition.

The President had expressed the hope that the former minister would win the election and use his experience to reposition his state. Buhari had assured Fayemi, that the cabinet members will be in Ekiti for his inauguration as governor. “Goodbye. We will come for the inauguration,” he had told Fayemi as he shook his hand to bid him farewell.