POLITICS – This is current Update as the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, on Thursday, 28th September 2017, at the Golden Hall, Chelsea Hotel, Abuja, declared his intention to run for the presidency in 2019 general election. Here is his address to Nigerians in full.

Full text of the address delivered by His Excellency, Dr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, Governor of Ekiti State, on the occasion of his official declaration to contest the 2019 Presidential Election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

I welcome you all to this historic event, which is landmark in the political landscape of our country, Nigeria.

My inviting you today, distinguished leaders of our party, is to inform you formally that I will be seeking the ticket of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to contest the 2019 presidential election. This is without prejudice to our party’s position.

However, I am a supporter of competence and capacity, especially now that this country needs young and able leaders that can take our country out of this present state of hopelessness.

Most importantly, despite that the party has zoned the presidency to the North, it may interest you that no one has come out in this manner to show interest and our party should not wait or beg anyone to fly its flag. Do we now say that if no one comes out from the North, the party won’t have a candidate?

Going down memory lane, in 1999 and 2003, despite that our party zoned the presidency to the South, the likes of Alhaji Abubakar Rimi of blessed memory and Chief Banabas Gemade contested the ticket.

Also in 2007, some party members from the South did not only declare their intention to contest, they also showed interest and obtained nomination Forms. Those from the South were; Chief Victor Attah, Dr. Peter Odili, Dr. Sam Egwu, Dr. Donald Duke, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani, Owelle Rochas Okorocha among others.

This, in itself, assisted in deepening democracy.

Our party must not lose sight that Nigerians at this period are desirous of a President with demonstrated capacity to change their fortunes. Furthermore, we must be mindful of the fact that our party needs a candidate like me, with a penchant for defeating incumbents.

Twice, I defeated incumbents to become the Governor of Ekiti State and I am confident that with your support as my party leaders and supporters, I will defeat the incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari, in a free and fair election.

Let me state that in Ekiti, God has used me twice for our party to regain power from the opposition and I believe same feat will be repeated at the national level.

I do not stand before Nigerians today to present myself as one with the answers to all our national questions. Rather, I present myself as one with the required knowledge, understanding, competence and, above all, the political will to coordinate the human and material resources that we have in abundance to achieve national greatness.

Having served successfully as governor twice in a state with very meagre resources, I have by this garnered enough experience over time to prepare me well enough for the task of leading our country.

By the grace of God, I am the longest-serving governor in Nigeria today, having served under three Presidents – Obasanjo, Jonathan, and now Buhari.

Therefore, I can say expressly that I am well equipped in terms of knowledge, experience as well as physical and mental capacities to hit the ground running as soon as I assume office as President of Nigeria in 2019.

Today, our country is faced with myriad of problems. Our economy that was the fastest-growing in Africa when our party was in power has gone comatose, with the present managers who are completely clueless.

Scarcity of food last experienced when President Buhari was Military Head of State between 1983 and 1985 has returned to the country, with Nigerians going to bed daily on empty stomach.

Regrettably, a bag of rice that was N7, 000 when PDP was in government is now N17, 000!

Allocation from the Federation Account to the three tiers of government has declined to such a level that most States can no longer carry out the basic obligation of paying workers’ salary.

Under the present government, our economy recorded its second worst investment inflow in 10 years. Exchange Rate that was N197/dollar in 2015 is now over N360/dollar.

In the area of security, which they leveraged on to come to power, despite claims by the government that Boko Haram was technically defeated; Nigerians are being killed by the insurgents while villages are being attacked in the North-East. Also, herdsmen are killing Nigerians and destroying farmlands with reckless abandon while kidnapping is now on the rise.

Most worrisome is the fact that our country is now more divided than ever before, with the unity of the country being threatened due to nepotism, religious bigotry and favouritism of the present government.

Unemployment has risen to an alarming level. Instead of creating three million jobs per year as promised, millions of jobs are being lost daily, with many companies folding up. This government has successfully wiped off the middle-class.

Like they lied to win election, the APC government of President Buhari has been deceitful for over two years and an end must come to this deceptive government by 2019.

My party leaders, standing before you is Peter (The Rock) Ayodele Fayose, the man already destined by God to take Nigeria out of the present political and economic stagnations.

You are all witnesses to my commitment to this party in this difficult period, where I have demonstrated uncommon courage that makes me stand out as capable of leading our country at this time.

Our economy will be revived and returned to the path of progress that it was before we had the misfortune of having these clueless people in power. We will ensure diversification of the economy through agriculture, adequate supply of power and massive industrialization, thereby creating employment for our youths. We can do it, and we will do it.

With me as your President, you can be rest assured of a government that will be responsive to your needs. You are guaranteed a federal government that will relate with all Nigerians not on the basis of ethnicity, religion, political affiliations and the percentage of votes but on equity and justice as citizens of one nation, one people, and one destiny.

In Ekiti State where I am presently the governor, our success story in education is there for all to see. Ekiti State was number 29th in 2014 NECO examinations but within two years, we were able to move the State to number one in 2016 and again in 2017.

Also in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), Ekiti State’s performance, which was 25 percent in 2014, moved to 74.86 percent in 2017.

We were able to revive this sector because we placed our teachers in the driver-seat of our policies. We will do the same at the national level because we are mindful of the fact that education is the bedrock of the development of any nation.

As a governor, I encouraged my children to attend schools here in Nigeria and I have never travelled abroad for Medicare. This, I hope to sustain as president of Nigeria by making sure that our schools and health facilities are of international standard.

Our justice system will be such that judges will not be molested and the common people of this country will see our courts as truly their last hope while our security system will make all Nigerians feel safe living in their own country.

Our fight against corruption will not be selective but total.

My party leaders, I present myself to you as the needed vehicle for our party to move back to the presidency. I am doing so because I am confident that with God and all of you behind me, we can do it, and we will do it.


Thanks and God bless.


http://mynationnews.com/2017/09/28/read-full-text-of-address-delivered-by-gov-fayose-on-his-presidential-declaration/

Mr Fayose is that all?

What do these politicians take us to be for God sake,eehn!

He just bla bla bla about zoning,food, naira and salary and nothing more.

There is no economic blue print to take the country out of the quagmire it is today.
No educational,technological or even investment framework.
There is no talk or arrangements to take care of the millions of unemployed youths roaming the streets.

It's all the same rhetorics of this and that,lies upon lies just to deceive the electorate and grab power,nothing more.

What physical changes did Fayose bring to Ekiti as a governor other than moving around market places dragging space with market women selling Kpomo,climbing okada and his regular bashing of Buhari.

Nigerians have learnt from this present administration that came with promises and lies just to grab power and at the end deny they ever made such campaign declarations.

Fayose shouldn't be afraid to face his allegations in the court by EFCC. He should desist from this sham and get ready to go to jail for looting our common wealth with his cronies in PDP.

Fayose since you are the only one speaking out for the Igbos

If we don't have an igbo candidate to represent us

We will join forces with the south west and anyother part of the country and chase out this nonsense government from aso rock

Ride on the nightmare of APC we are behind you

Hexcuse me plss, sorry don't be hoffended.

Hare we still in 2017 or his itt 2018 already? .

Fayose as against what everyone thinks is a very scared little brat. He is quite aware that this is dead on arrival, he just like every politicians do is playing on Nigerians, knowing fully well that we are highly sentimental.

This is the plot.

Buhari is a Fulani man, meaning that he doesn't forgive or forget. He punished Dasuki after over 20yrs.

Fayose has wronged Buhari in so many ways and will definitely be out of immunity by next year.

By the time he gets arrested, he wants the populace to think that it is because they are fighting opposition.

Guess what Fayose: Bubu does not care!!!

He will still pick u up and most likely lock you up!!!

olohun maje!!

Empty drums make the loudest voice.

Fayose may not be a saint, but I prefer him to hypocritical APC and Buhari's led administration.

Whoever PDP presents in 2019 would defeat Buhari.

Ok

Ayodele Peter Fayose (De Rock) !

Okay, come 2019 we shall see.

All we want is 1naira = 1 dollar

Fayose is a free minded detrablized personality , he may not be the best but Nigerians has voted the worst(likes of Buhari and Obasanjo) at the previous elections so Fayose is a gold when compared to those crass cluelessness personified crowns.


Fayose deserves to be the president of Nigerians,He is not hypocritical like the gworo chewing herdsman. He is closer to the yearnings of the people,and has never pretended about it.

Fayose is real and straight forward.

Nonsense. I still ask myself the tangible development this man has brought to ekiti state. Can the good people of his state truly say that things have been better under his leadership. How many investors has he been able to woo to bring business to his people. The only news I hear from ekiti is when he cuts kponmo, when he plays tennis with street boys or when he attacks buhari. I doubt if that is what the people voted him for. We need to bring in folks with fresh ideas. Other nations are leaving us behind. Rwanda is currently the fastest growing nation in Africa and have currently solved 90% of their power problem. Countries like Seychelles, Mauritius are all sitting up yet a lousy man with no Idea whatsoever wants to be president and folks will clamour for him.

Okay oo, we are watching

I didn’t read it but if PDP present this dummy for their next candidate then APC will continue with the change they are giving #gbam

m from ekiti and I don't see this my my governor becoming president.. let's not be tribalistic and face the truth... both party presidential tickets is going to the north..

Yoruba muslims will never vote for him

Skrrrrrr pa pa pa pa.........

This long epistle still won't change Nigeria's condition for good.

Lemme come and be going!

If a dullard and cattle rearer without certificate can become a president, why can't Fayose?

Fayose is younger, educated and detribalized.

Donald Trump was underrated sha.

see muniru and Ambali. lol

Well, i have no problem with Fayose but his party/party men ...
At this stage in our nation we need man of the people, a president who relates with the common man, knows their problems and what they go through at every point of their life. A government having the database of its citizens and care for them. Not one who stays only in Ask Rock and feather the nest of cabals...

A bold step i must say. Kudos to him

wat wrong with this man... does he think running the presidency is all abt stomach infrastructure??

Ayo Fayose is yet to pay salaries in Ekiti and he's campaigning for what? Is this man crazy? Do they even have NLC or labour unions in Ekiti?

According to the bible, the first they say shall be the last. This is rather too early for this dunce. Anyway, there is president in kuje prison. U haven't finished ur term with tangible achievement, u are declaring ur corrupt ambition as president. If only wishes were horses, fools like Ayo Fayose will ride..

Suya mouthed.

Am not afonja Bt I dnt knw why I love this man... he is far much better than all those old lazy igbo red heads who can not even speak out when death is knocking on their doors.