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From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde have harped on the need to raise the bar of governance beyond political party affiliations and deliver dividends of democracy to citizens.
They spoke, yesterday, at the commissioning of the 7.2 kilometres Idi Ape-Bashorun-Akobo-Odogbo Barracks Junction Road dualisation project, complemented with a flyover across Lagos-Ibadan expressway, which links Bashorun to Akobo in Ibadan.
Fayemi is of the All Progressives Congress (APC) while Makinde is faithful of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Apparently reacting to why a governor on the platform of APC would honour invitation from a governor on the PDP platform to commission projects, Fayemi said the road would be plied by members of PDP, APC and those who do not belong to any party.
“They would go on this road regularly. If what we are about is development of our people, we can disagree without being disagreeable. We can still hold our principle corners as proud members of PDP, APC and any other party, to which we belong. But once the elections are over, and it is time for governance, we all should rally round those who have been saddled with that responsibility via the ballots.”
Makinde noted that Fayemi’s presence at the commissioning of the projects “communicates a message to those who think that politics is a do-or-die affair, and for those of them, who think that collaborations across party lines for development is not possible.
“Yes, we belong to different patties. Our great parties, PDP and APC, have different philosophies. But when it is time to do what is right for the progress of our people, we should all come together and get it done. Today is a demonstration of that. I can only say that players will come and go, governors will come and go, and parties will come and go. But our space and our country remain.”
