26 Facts About Kayode Fayemi

John Olukayode Fayemi is a Nigerian politician who served as governor of Ekiti State from 2018 to 2022.

Kayode Fayemi previously served in office between 2010 and 2014 before losing re-election to Ayodele Fayose.

Kayode Fayemi was the Minister of Solid Minerals Development in President Muhammadu Buhari's cabinet from 11 November 2015 to 30 May 2018, when he resigned to contest for a second term as Governor of Ekiti State.

Kayode Fayemi is the pioneer president of the Forum of Regions of Africa since 9 September 2022.

John Olukayode Folorunso Fayemi was born in Ibadan on 9 February 1965 to an Ekiti parentage from Isan-Ekiti in Oye Local Government of Ekiti State.

Kayode Fayemi later went on to receive degrees in history, politics and international relations from the University of Lagos and University of Ife.

Kayode Fayemi was a journalist with The Guardian and City Tempo; and the editor of Nigeria-Now, a defunct political monthly magazine.

Kayode Fayemi has taught in Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia.

Kayode Fayemi has served as an adviser on transitional justice, regional integration, constitutionalism, security sector reform and civil-military relations issues to various governments, inter-governmental institutions and development agencies.

Kayode Fayemi was the main technical adviser to Nigeria's The Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission, which investigated past abuses and served on the Presidential Implementation Committees on Security Sector Reform, NEPAD and the Millennium Development Goals.

Kayode Fayemi was technical expert to the Economic Community of West African States on small arms and light weapons and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa on governance issues.

On 9 September 2022, Kayode Fayemi emerged as the first elected president of the Forum of Regions of Africa, a forum which is organised by United Cities and Local Governments of Africa, UCLG Africa in collaboration with the Association of Moroccan Regions, the Council of the Oriental Region and the Directorate General of Territorial Collectivities of the Ministry of the Interior of the Kingdom of Morocco.

In 2006, Kayode Fayemi made his entry into partisan politics ahead of the 2007 election during which he contested for Governor of Ekiti State under the defunct Action Congress.

The emergence of Kayode Fayemi was preceded by congress held before the governor who had no contestant was endorsed as the flag bearers of their state in the governorship elections.

Kayode Fayemi was defeated at the polls on 21 June 2014 by previous governor Ayodele Fayose.

Kayode Fayemi recontested for second term as Ekiti state governor under the platform of the All Progressive Congress in the 14 July 2018 governorship election after resigning as the Minister of Solid Minerals Development.

Kayode Fayemi was officially declared the winner of the 2018 Ekiti State gubernatorial election by the Independent National Electoral Commission on 15 July 2018.

Kayode Fayemi won by 19,345 votes against the Peoples Democratic Party's Kolapo Olusola Eleka who was second.

In October 2018, Kayode Fayemi was sworn in as Ekiti State governor for the second time.

Kayode Fayemi said Fayemi was unanimously elected by the governors to lead the forum till 2021.

In January 2022, Kayode Fayemi was accused of bribery and electoral fraud surrounding the 2022 Ekiti APC gubernatorial primary.

Reports that Kayode Fayemi had bribed the APC primary committee and INEC officials in the days before the primary led to the withdrawal of all candidates aside from the Kayode Fayemi-supported Abiodun Oyebanji.

Kayode Fayemi narrated his experience as one of the notable faces of the anti-military and protesters that facilitated the current democratic order.

Kayode Fayemi said his group knew when to pause to negotiate with the government and that made them successful.

Kayode Fayemi said this at The Africa Policy Dialogue Series virtual symposium held by the Harvard Kenny Alumni Association of Nigeria with the theme: Harnessing Africa's Demographic Dividend for Peace, Security and Productivity through Investments in Youth.

Kayode Fayemi has written on governance and democratization, civil-military relations and security sector issues in Africa.