Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti has fixed Dec. 18 as the deadline for governorship aspirants who are still in the state’s civil service to resign their positions.

The aspirant are those wishing to contest the primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress where the party’s candidate will be picked for the 2022 governorship election.

Fayemi’s directive is contained in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti.

According to the statement, the development became imperative in order to ensure cohesion and excellent service delivery, the two major hallmarks of the administration which must not be compromised.

The statement said that the APC in the state had fixed the governorship primaries for between Jan. 4 and Jan. 29, 2022.

The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) had fixed Ekiti State gubernatorial election for June 18, 2022.

Incumbent Fayemi of the APC, who is also the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum, is term-limited and cannot seek re-election for a third term.

He first governed the state between May 2010 and 2014 was defeated by Ayo Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party while seeking reelection for a second tenure.

The APC had earlier in its official notice for the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States fixed Nov.16 for the commencement of the sales of nomination forms for Ekiti and Nov.18 for Osun.

The notice was signed by the National Secretary of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Sen. John James Akpanudodehe.