EKITI 2018: OBAS,TEACHERS ADOPT OLUSOLA YESTERDAY+WHY WE ARE FIRST IN EDUCATION-FAYOSE.{PHOTOS}.

       Teachers and traditional rulers in Ekiti State on Tuesday adopted the Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, as their preferred candidate in next year's governorship election in the state.

They made the resolution in Ado-Ekiti during a luncheon by stakeholders to celebrate the state coming first in the National Examinations Council (NECO) exams for two consecutive years.

This is just as Governor Ayodele Fayose said putting teachers on the driver's seat has been responsible for the tremendous improvement recorded in the sector since he came to office.

Speaking on behalf of the monarchs, the Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, who is also the Oloye of Oye-Ekiti, Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, said Olusola, who also oversees the sector, was critical to the success recorded and that nothing was bad in allowing him to continue from where Fayose would stop.

For the teachers, who are under the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the State Deputy Chairman, Comrade Ipinlaye Oludele, said with continuity under Olusola the gains in the sector would be sustained.

Fayose, in his remarks, said the secret of the state coming first in NECO and improving in West African Examinations Council (WAEC) performance was because of the priority given to teachers to drive its policies.

"I advise the Federal Government to put teachers first in helping to drive the sector. We are first and have improved considerably in the sector because we have encouraged the teachers. You can't be anything without education and who is driving the sector most are the teachers.

"Cynics said our performance last year was a fluke and we have proved them wrong. We are also going to put more efforts at sustaining the gains. I am confident that my deputy would carry on from where am stopping.

" Last year, I promised to give teachers one hundred million naira if we retain our first position and we are going to redeem the pledge by the grace of God. As soon as we leave the stadium after the Teachers' Day celebration, your accounts would be credited," he said.The governor also urged those married to teaches to exercise patience in dealing with them because anything that affects them emotionally would adversely affect their performance.More photos below.