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The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has been advised to do everything possible to protect the new roads that have just been constructed and inaugurated from being destroyed by influx of trailers.

The Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Most Reverend Felix Ajakaye, who gave the charge, expressed dismay that the recent influx of articulated vehicles and luxurious buses in the state is already taking its toll on the new roads which are gradually being destroyed.

Speaking during the thanksgiving service to mark the third anniversary of the Fayemi Administration, the Bishop charged the Governor to put barriers on the newly constructed state roads to prevent a further damage by reckless trailers and luxurious bus drivers.

The service was attended by two former Governors, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, Chief Ayodele Fayose; Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi; First Lady, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; former Deputy Governors, Chief Abiodun Aluko and Prof. Modupe Adelabu; Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Funminiyi Afuye; National and State Assembly members and traditional rulers.

The first lesson of the thanksgiving service drawn from Isaiah Chapter 53 Verses 10 and 11 was read by Governor Fayemi.

The Bishop also advocated competence as the best criterion to be considered in determining who succeeds Dr. Fayemi. He urged the people of the State to vote the right candidate into office and not to mortgage their future and that of their children through vote buying.

The Most Reverend Ajakaye urged interest groups including Ekiti Council of Elders, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Justice, Peace and Development Initiative (JPDI) to be actively involved in the process that will lead to emergence of the next Governor.

Bishop Ajakaye said: “I pity you Your Excellency on the state of roads in Ekiti State and this has been through the influx of trucks and luxury buses. These roads are not inter-state roads but inter-town roads; lots of damages have been done on them already.

“Ilupeju-Ire-Ijan Road, I passed through the road recently, it has been destroyed; Agbado-Ode-Isinbode Road too has been destroyed and many of our roads have been damaged by the influx of trailers and luxurious buses and many of those drivers don’t know our terrain well.

“I want to suggest that we put barriers on our roads to avoid monumental damage on our roads. I fear for the new Ado-Iyin Road if we don’t do what we suppose to do.”

He added: “We need competent people on leadership positions. On the 2022 governorship election in Ekiti and 2023 election in Nigeria, let us stop vote selling and vote buying. People should stop it for the sake of their future and the future of their children.

“Vote selling has become a big business and after you have taken money to vote them in, you will be complaining of hardship. Ahead of the Ekiti governorship election, Ekiti Council of Elders, JDPI, NUJ must be actively involved to ensure that the best emerges.

“If any of the governorship candidates fails to show up at the debate, he must be blacklisted.”

The cleric charged President Muhammadu Buhari to look inwards and fish out alleged saboteurs working against the security agenda of his administration especially the fight against insurgency and also advocates for quality incentives for soldiers on the front line.

He urged the President to unveil those behind the spate violence, killings and kidnappings in the country and ensure they face the full wrath of the law.

In his remarks at the service, Governor Fayemi who appreciated the people of the state for their support in the last three years said much still needed to be done for “Ekiti of our dream to become a reality.”

Dr. Fayemi said: “I am a product of grace, because we human beings delude ourselves often when we think it’s our talent, our merit, our capacity and our competence that has given us the place where we are. Whatever we are is unmerited because there thousands of others who are better than us but don’t have the grace to be there.

“That is why it is important for us to come for this thanksgiving mass for us. The challenges are there and what the Bible says is that not that we will not have challenges but they will not overcome us.

“The work is not yet done but we will continue to do our best the way our pathfinder, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo left with his head held high, former Governor Ayo Fayose did his best for our state. Ekiti of our dream will become a reality if we all keep building on it without subtracting from it.

1. “We are here to sacrifice. Leadership is not office, it’s not title, leadership is service, leadership is sacrifice and may God give us the grace to be of service to our people.”