Prof. Wole Soyinka, Nigeria’s Nobel Laureate, has given a word of advice to the country’s major opposition party All Progressive Congress, APC.

The nobel laureate while speaking at the inauguration of the new Government House known as ‘Ayoba Villa’ in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, described the loss of the outgoing Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, in the June 21 governorship election as a mystery.

He advised the leadership of the APC to unravel the mystery, and went ahead to laud the outgoing governor’s several programmes and legacy projects. He urged Fayemi’s successor to continue on the path of development.

Soyinka, who was obviously surprised by the outcome of the election, expressed optimism that something went wrong somewhere, which has to be corrected. He said that was his message to APC leaders, and also advise them to be patient but at the same time be watchful.

He also advised the people to put aside all the mystery surrounding the loss and continue to build on the good foundation Fayemi built.

“Many people within and outside Ekiti were mystified. There is a clarity in my mind. That clarity has been demonstrated today and has been manifested in the four years of Fayemi. My own message is that, put the mystery aside and the emotional attachment. Continue to build on the foundation that has been laid by him. The state has been resurrected in a way that all of us should be proud of. I’m glad that there is no sadness on the face of anybody. I’m happy I do not perceive any iota of regret on the face of anyone. That is the way it should be,” Soyinka said.

Responding, the outgoing governor who said he had no apology for all he did in government said it was up to his successor to ‘either honour or desecrate the legacy the APC government is leaving behind.

“For us anyway, in the last four years, it has been truth, sacrifice with integrity, honour, compassion, commitment to good governance and competence in public office. For us, public office remains the highest form of duty. We have no apology for all we have done. We thank our people for the solidarity and support,” he said.

Fayemi said that all the legacy projects inaugurated in his last days were a reflection of his commitment to public service.

“For us, everything that has happened is about the service to our people. It is about putting our people forward. It is about making the fundamental differences in the lives of our people and making their lives more abundant. The Ekiti we are leaving is far better than the Ekiti we met. Those who are coming behind us can build on this in a sustainable manner. We are on a journey, we are not in a destination yet. That journey would have remarkable progress, undulating lines, we would go into valleys, we would face challenges, and the triumph of it is to see opportunities in those challenges and to keep moving on until a better and greater Nigeria of our dream comes to fruition in our country,” Fayemi said.

Speaking also at the event, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker of the House of Representatives remarked that posterity would be a better judge that Fayemi ruled the state in dignified ways to the extent that he left unforgettable marks in Ekiti State.

According to Tambuwal, Fayemi combined good governance and politics, and that aside losing the election, he still continued his to deliver dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

In his remark, Chief Jide Awe, APC National Chairman reassured the people that the party would continue to incite and organise support in order to reclaim the state, because victory is certain.

“He (Fayemi) has rescued a lot of projects from the jaw of stomach infrastructure to have made them real social infrastructure. To us in the APC, it is not over yet, we are marching forward. There might be a temporary eclipse, but after this eclipse comes sunshine. We have done a lot in this state through our governor and government that posterity will not forget us. The state belongs to us. We will continue to struggle to ensure that we achieve our ideals for this state. We will continue to galvanise and mobilise our party for greater heights. I want to assure that victory is achieved already. Victory is certain,” Awe said.

Meanwhile, a thanksgiving service was conducted at the St. Patrick Catholic Cathedral, Ado Ekiti, by Vicar General of Ekiti Catholic Diocese, Most Revd Felix Odesanmi, for the successful completion of the four-year term of the Fayemi-led administration which happens to be the second time a governor would complete his tenure since the beginning of civil rule in the state in 1999.

It would be recalled that on September 15, 2014, former Borno State Governor, Alimodu Sheriff challenged Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka over his allegations that Sheriff was indeed a Boko Haram sponsor.