Governor Fayemi, right, and his predecessor, Ayodele Fayose

Fayemi and Fayose

Fayose and Fayemi

Fayemi and Fayose’s wife, Feyisetan

L-R: Fayemi, Tomiwa Fayose, the groom and the bride

R-L: Fayemi, Tomiwa Fayose, the groom, his bride and Fayose

Friends again! That is what will be on the minds of readers of this story. Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, today, attended the wedding of Tomiwa, son of his predecessor, Ayodele Fayose.

Like stags in mortal combat, the two politicians had, before now, fought titanic battles for the governorship seat in Ekiti.

Fayose became the second governor of Ekiti on 29th of May, 2003. That was after he defeated Governor Niyi Adebayo in the gubernatorial elections. However, impeachment cut shot the tenure of Fayose on 16th of October, 2006.

In 2014, during the 2014 Governorship election in Ekiti State, Fayose of the People’s Democratic Party, defeated Fayemi in an election that was allegedly rigged massively.

According to media reports then: “An army intelligence officer Captain Sagir Koli of the Nigerian Army 32nd Artillery Brigade, secretly recorded a vote-rigging plan on June 20th, 2014 when he was asked to accompany his then commanding Officer, Brigadier General Aliyu Momoh, to a meeting at Spotless Hotel in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

“The 37-minute audio recording was attended by the eventual “winner” of the election, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State; Senator Iyiola Omisore of Osun State; a member of the National Assembly Abdul Kareem; the Minister for Police Affairs Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan; the former Minister for Police Affairs and navy captain Caleb Olubolade; the Minister of State for Defense Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and PDP Anambra chieftain and failed senate candidate Chris Uba, as they bribed army Brigadier General Momoh with a rank promotion for his assistance in carrying out election fraud in Ekiti State.”

The above notwithstanding, Fayemi recontested and defeated Fayose’s party in the 14 July 2018 election and won.

Raheem Akingbolu, a journalist and writer, drew up the choices Fayemi had to make that day: “Yesterday, Erelu Bisi Fayemi was honoured in her native home, Ilaramokin. Yesterday, most governors were busy making moves from their respective control rooms to see their party emerge winner in Kogi and Bayelsa states. Yesterday, Mr. Ayo Fayose son married in Lagos. If these options had been thrown at us on Friday to decide which one Ekiti State Governor would attend, I’m sure majority would have gone for the 1st or 2nd but no, Fayemi was in Lagos to honour his predecessor in office. In all, I see large heart, matured politics and hope for peaceful collaboration in my state.”

Now, they are friends again!