By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

Dr. Kayode Fayemi has given reasons for the apology he rendered following his emergence as the candidate of the APC even as he yesterday dismissed the indictment raised against him by the Ekiti State Government as inconsequential.

He spoke following his presentation to President Muhammadu Buhari as the candidate of the party for the election by the chairman of the APC Gubernatorial Primaries Committee, Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarwa State.

Fayemi disclosed on the occasion that he would resign his position as a minister within one week.

On the apology rendered immediately after his emergence, he said:

“You should understand the context of the apology, don’t just take the apology on its own. What I said was that clearly, there were people in Ekiti even though they were a minority, who were not happy with some of the policies and programmes of our government whilst we were in office and to such people, I render an apology. But, for me, the rescue mission in Ekiti is a job that has to be done.

“What do you want? You want continuity of lack of salary, continuity of poverty, continuity of want, continuity of lack of direction or you want to return to a past of buoyancy, human development, accountability and transparency in government. That is the clear dividing line, and people can see that.

“As to the probe panel that you mentioned, well, I don’t want to dwell on the probe panel. But, the law of the land is clear, it is only a court of competent jurisdiction that can convict anyone, any Nigerian for any malfeasance. You cannot seat in your house, cook up a probe panel, a kangaroo tribunal and you say you have indicted someone and that person is guilty and should be ban from public office. That is just a joke, but then the man we are talking about is an Alawada like we say in Yorubaland, so that is not surprising.”

On the date of his resignation from the cabinet, he said:

“There is still a lot of work to do. The constitution again is very clear, what the constitution says in Section 182 is that I must leave the cabinet at least 30 days before the General Election.

“Well, I am the candidate of our party, and I am also the minister of the Federal Republic at least for the next one week. So, for the next one week, I am the minister of mines and steel.”

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