PDP can’t return to power in Ekiti – Minister

Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, on Thursday described the attempt being made by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reclaim power in 2019 as a plot to continue to loot the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fayemi made the statement while addressing newsmen at his Isan-Ekiti country home shortly after hosting APC leaders from across the state.

He urged Nigerians not to use the current fuel scarcity to rate President Muhammadu Buhari’s performances, saying “What we are witnessing is just a normal curve in the life of any administration.

"We will get over it and move on, but largely President has not disappointed Nigerians,” he said.

The Minister didn’t say categorically whether he was still nursing governorship ambition.

He said the APC was incurably committed to making sure that Ekiti rejoined the league of developing states by ensuring that the party won the 2018 governorship poll.

“What the PDP wanted to come back and do is stealing.

“The options for Nigerians in 2019 is not to return to the old age of criminalisation and brigandage by voting for the PDP.

“There is nothing to convince Nigerians that they have changed with the shenanigans that characterised their national convention and poor performances by their governors.

“Up to now, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and his henchmen have not apologisedabout how they ran the country aground.

” So, there is nothing to suggest that PDP remains a credible alternative to APC in 2019”, he said.

Fayemi discountenanced the attacks by his political adversaries that he had not used his ministerial position for the benefit of the state.

He said: ”What I have done is measurable and clear. 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.

“About 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 N5b loan set up by the Bank of Industry.”