Fayemi reveals how he almost rejected Buhari’s ministerial offer in 2015

Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has disclosed that he was reluctant to accept the ministerial appointment offered to him by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

In an interview with THISDAY, Fayemi said he was worried that he knew nothing about the solid minerals sector, which he was assigned to oversee as a minister.

“Before I became a minister, I was Director of Policy for the presidential campaign and also worked in the transition committee, so I had a comprehensive view of what was going on in the Jonathan administration, but I wasn’t prepared to go to the ministry I was assigned to.

“When I was announced as the Minister for Solid Minerals, I must confess, I was surprised. I honestly thought I was going to be Minister of Foreign Affairs, an area in which I was a frontline adviser for President Buhari during the period leading up to the election and before Ministers were announced.

“In fact, I was with President Buhari on his last assignment at the United Nations before the ministerial list was released on the day we returned from the United Nations. I got home after we were sworn in and portfolios assigned and told my wife and our leader, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, that I was going to inform President Buhari that I couldn’t take the appointment. What do I know about the ministry? It was not even about being a dry or juicy ministry. I was not prepared to mess myself up, after coming this far. I thought the Ministry should go to a subject matter expert. So, I decided I wasn’t going to take it,” Fayemi said.

However, he said he changed his mind after Buhari convinced him that he needed someone with his background and experience to reform the sector and make it more attractive for investors.

He also said former Ekiti State Governor, Adeniyi Adebayo also prevailed on him not disappoint Ekiti people.

“But Otunba said, no, that would be selfish and that I must put our people into my consideration. I must take it. He added: ‘Kayode, your strength is in managing people and resources, and you are going to take it and make a statement. Having managed a whole state, you can manage anything.’ And my wife aligned with him. But I was still not convinced but at least they stopped me from going to tell President Buhari I was opting out of the cabinet.

“Eventually, President Buhari explained to me that he was deliberate in sending me to the Ministry because he had three priorities – infrastructure, agriculture and solid minerals development and he wanted excellent hands in the three areas. I took it up as a challenge and I believe I grew into the job,” Fayemi explained.

Fayemi said he accepted the challenge and went on to serve as the Minister of Solid Minerals Development from November 2015 to May 2018, when he resigned to contest for a second term as Governor of Ekiti State.

He said he was proud of his achievements as a minister, which included the development of a roadmap for the sector.