Editor’s note: Daily Trust’s Mahmud Jega questions the rationale behind the Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose’s, vituperation against the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).

– The people of Ekiti state and Western Nigeria generally cannot possibly say that a septuagenarian is too old to be president.

– Fayose is Nigeria’s most reckless civilian governor

– Fayose has assumed the role of PDP’s Premier Attack Dog

When was the last time that any Nigerian state had a civilian governor as reckless as Peter Ayodele Fayose?

Between January and now Fayose has broken several decorum rules of Nigerian politics and it is time to give him a short lesson in History. Many ardent Buhari supporters have long written me off as a PDP mole so I am in a position to play the referee here.

In his self-appointed role as Premier Attack Dog Fayose has made many allegations against APC and its presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari. I will condense the six most sensational to be

1] at 73 Buhari is too old to be the President of Nigeria

2] Buhari is in poor health

3] Buhari is likely to die in office if he is elected president

4] Presidents of Nigeria from the North West zone tend to die in office such as Murtala Mohamed, Sani Abacha and Umaru Yarádua

5] Buhari’s recent trip to London was a secret medical trip and

6] North should wait until 2019 to produce a president.

There were many other smaller allegations but let us concentrate on the main ones that have political and historical import. Each of these six condensed charges that Fayose made is problematic when viewed in the context of Nigeria’s political history.

Let’s consider the first charge that at 72 Buhari is too old to be president of Nigeria. This is not the first time that this kind of allegation is being made in Nigerian politics. At the time elections were held to usher in the Second Republic in mid-1979 three of the five presidential candidates were advanced in age. PRP’s Malam Aminu Kano was 59, UPN’s Chief Obafemi Awolowo was 70 and NPP’s Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe was 74. The man who eventually won the election, NPN’s Alhaji Shehu Shagari was 54 but it is doubtful if he won because of his age. Only one third of Nigerian voters voted for him in that election. I do not know where Ayo Fayose was in 1979 but if he voted at all, he was likely to have voted for Chief Awolowo because the UPN candidate secured more than 90% of the votes in the old Ondo State, which includes present day Ekiti State. When Awo stood again in 1983 he was already 74 years old, yet he secured a reduced but overwhelming majority in the old Ondo State. Hence, the people of Ekiti State and Western Nigeria generally cannot possibly say that a septuagenarian is too old to be president. Not surprisingly Fayose seems to be the only Yoruba man who is saying so.

I suspect the Igbos will remain silent on this issue as well because when Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe contested for president in 1979 he was 74 years old. I remember that during a presidential media interview on NTA the interviewer asked Zik whether he was not too old for the presidency. Zik reminded the interviewer that the live television interview had already been on for an hour, “I have no idea what questions you are going to ask” and yet, he was extremely alert and coherent in his answers. Despite his age Zik swept most votes in the East and did so again in 1983 when he was 78 years old.

In fact, there was this famous letter that Zik wrote in late 1978 addressed to all the people who said that he was too old to be president. He had a special line for leader of the unregistered Nigeria Advance Party [NAP] Mr Tunji Braithwaite. Zik recalled that in 1937 when they formed the Nigeria Youth Movement, he was a very young man but NYM’s leader was the elderly Reverend Braithwaite, Tunji’s uncle. If they had asked him to step aside on account of his age, Zik said the old Braithwaite would have quoted the biblical verse that said, “O ye generation of vipers…!”

Secondly, Fayose charged that Buhari is in poor health on account of his age. Now, now. I think it is true that younger people are generally speaking healthier and more vigorous than older people but that is only at the level of generalities. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who is older than Buhari, maintains a schedule of local and international travel that I cannot do a fraction of. These days after every trip from Kaduna to Abuja I must lie down and rest but I attended a State House dinner in 2005 where Obasanjo appeared at the dinner only 30 minutes after he arrived from Japan. So, we cannot assume that an older man in sick unless he shows signs of it, which so far Buhari has not shown. He went through the punishing schedule of holding campaign rallies in two different states a day for three weeks. Right now, I don’t think I can shop in Utako and Wuse markets on the same day.

Fayose’s charge number three was that Buhari is likely to die in office if he is elected. We generally assume that anyone who is older in age is more likely to die than a younger person. Again that is true only at the general level. Many children have died and left their parents. I recently saw an advert placed by a woman mourning the death of her grandson.

READ ALSO: Read How The Election Postponement Affected Nigeria’s Economy

Now, if it is because several Nigerian rulers of North West origin died in office which is Fayose’s charge number four, former President Alhaji Shehu Shagari marked his 90th birthday only last week. So, only God can say if Buhari will be like Yarádua or like Shagari. Besides, leaders from other parts of Nigeria have also died in office including Major General J.T.U. Aguiyi-Ironsi, Chief Akintola and Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi. So in any matter that God has the say, we should better leave it to Him.

Fayose’s charge number five was that Buhari went to London last week essentially for medical reasons but pretended that it was a working visit. On this count I fault APC leaders and the spokesmen. Look, I have read tracts where doctors said a man who is over 50 should go for a medical check at least once a year. Whatever it was that Buhari went to do in London, I would regard it as carelessness if he did not seize the chance to seek a medical check as most Nigerian elite do. How can anybody tour 36 states in one month and not ask a doctor to check him up? The problem here was that APC never said Buhari visited a hospital, thus allowing Fayose to score a cheap point.

Fayose also said [charge number six] that the North should wait until 2019 to produce a president. There are problems with this charge too. Buhari belongs to APC and as far as I know, the party has not publicly adopted a rotational policy for the presidency. The party that did so publicly was Fayose’s PDP and it went ahead and observed it in the breach. In this election cycle no one is talking about Northern or Southern presidential candidate, at least not publicly which I think is an indication that Nigerian politics is maturing.

The question many people are asking is why has Governor Ayo Fayose cast himself in this controversial role, making one incredible charge after another when 23 other PDP governors are not saying anything of the sort? Some people have said it is because an APC-controlled Federal Government could reverse his election victory of last May. Well, it can’t because his election was upheld by both the election tribunal and the election appeal tribunal. Even the Capt Sagir Koli tape can at best attract punishment for the Army Brigadier who collaborated with PDP chieftains.

The problem as I see it is that from Day 1 as governor, Fayose reinforced his legal mandate with a patent illegality by using the Federal police to drive away the Speaker and most members of the Ekiti State Assembly. He is forcefully maintaining a rump Assembly of seven PDP members only. The day APC takes control of Federal power this impunity will end and the majority legislators can with justification accuse Fayose of gross misconduct and impeach him.



The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Naij.com.

READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/394250-fayose-needs-a-history-lesson-jega.html

who gave jega license to speak, wen u know fully well u r under probation,

Fayose is saying d truth by exposing d lies and propaganda from apc, buh d children of lies(apc thugs cum supporters) re too stupid and foolish to comprehend d good work fayose is doing. Buhari is too old and critically ill, no be curse or somtin to dance abt, we just concerned for d family. So dey won't lose dem bread winner like d yar'adua family

Jega, one of the apc stooges :DGEJ till 2019!!!

APC LIE LIAR MUHAMMAD 


APC WITCHCRAFT BROOM CARRYING PARTY

APC CAUSING FUEL SCARCITY LIKE THIER MAYHEM.
The Schizophrenic demented sick Pa Buhari is a terrorist, deranged old brainless super clueless bastard
Apc is boko haram
Thiefnu.bu is a pedophile drug dealer and a cocain sniffer property seized in the usa for his drug deals.

Buhari can only be president in sambisa and shekau would hand over to him with his forged result. 

Osinbajo is fake and a loafer

Amechi and Fashola are errand boys

Ambode new recruit errand boy


Buhari boko haram spiritual head

Atiku and Thiefnu.bu boko haram sponsor

This is nt jega of inec bro!

Taylor86:
who gave jega license to speak, wen u know fully well u r under probation,

Fayose and FFK plus Bastard Doyin Okupe are sick in the brain. They all need help very fast otherwise they will die of heart attack just because of Buhari.

Wen i av mb.. I ll comma comment ... Fp plsssssssss

People dont take fayose serious, so i wonder why jega will blast him in the first place.

The problem as I see it is that from Day 1 as governor, Fayose reinforced his legal mandate with a patent illegality by using the Federal police to drive away the Speaker and most members of the Ekiti State Assembly. He is forcefully maintaining a rump Assembly of seven PDP members only. The day APC takes control of Federal power this impunity will end and the majority legislators can with justification accuse Fayose of gross misconduct and impeach him.

this is his mortal fear and why he would rather die than see APC win the election, and die he would die because APC will win the Presidential election.

searching4love:



Fayose is gonna be FFK's gay partner in kirikiri soon. Buhari will lock them up and throw away the keys

Honestly I don't think Buhari will lock anybody up, he is no longer a dictator. But I am very sure Fayose will start doing his work as soon as Buhari wins; since rule of law will be restored all over the country. As for FFK I can bet on my mother's grave that the prostitute will start singing Buhari's praise and instantly begin to reveal the ills of Jonathan's government.

hahaha. i think say na our own enbattled jega o. jega mahmud is a great columnist. fayose is a great anarchist. fayose is indeed mad.

san316:
hahaha. i think say na our own enbattled jega o. jega mahmud is a great columnist. fayose is a great anarchist. fayose is indeed mad.

Op used the fastest shortcut to front page

Ifayose

I can see the usual scum scrubbers up there already throwing stones at the INEC boss without even taking a moment to read a few lines.

Well, as truthful as the writeup is, it isn't coming from Jega the INEC boss.

Fayose has sank so deep there is no turning back now. His only salvation would be that APC doesn't win the presidential poll; a VERY UNLIKELY scenario.

He definitely will abandon his state and run for dear life after Buhari is announced. He simply can't do otherwise.

OREMUSSANCTUS:
Fayose is saying d truth by exposing d lies and propaganda from apc, buh d children of lies(apc thugs cum supporters) re too stupid and foolish to comprehend d good work fayose is doing. Buhari is too old and critically ill, no be curse or somtin to dance abt, we just concerned for d family. So dey won't lose dem bread winner like d yar'adua family

YOU ARE THE STUPID AND FOOLISH ONE HERE. We know your types. For a person of Fayose caliber to always talk like someone from garbage settings is a shame. I am from EKITI STATE. Fayose does not portrait any sign of an educated Ekiti man.
For your information, Fayose turned himself to the bad boy of Jonathan who is always ready to do the dirty job for his own survival. He can only be a governor under the anythings goes government of Jonathan.
Are you telling me that Fayose have anything at stake than other governors. why is he so concerned about Buhari personalty to the extends of throwing every decorum's away.
Respect for elders is one of our number one characters in EKITI.

ibisko04:

YOU ARE THE STUPID AND FOOLISH ONE HERE. We know your types. For a person of Fayose caliber to always talk like someone from garbage settings is a shame. I am from EKITI STATE. Fayose does not portrait any sign of an educated Ekiti man.
For your information, Fayose turned himself to the bad boy of Jonathan who is always ready to do the dirty job for his own survival. He can only be a governor under the anythings goes government of Jonathan.
Are you telling me that Fayose have anything at stake than other governors. why is he so concerned about Buhari personalty to the extends of throwing every decorum's away.
Respect for elders is one of our number one characters in EKITI.

do ya even know ya village, ya just sit down in anoda manz land and discuss ekiti politics. Fayose is a man of d people, he's luved and respected. He won in all d local govt in ekiti, even in oye were fayemi is from. D question ya shld ask yaself is if d guy is lying or telling d truth. Buh I guess ya too dumb to believe or know d truth. Wadz dere if buhari is ill, dat apc had to lie to all nigerians dat he was wif blair and gave us an old pix, why did dey give us a pic of transcorp hilton hotel saying he did d interview in london. Grow up and stop saying shitz, don't bother saying or asking me abt d ekiti elction I wrote cos I conducted d election, and during d election I witnessed d massive supports ekiti people gave fayose. Ask ya parent and dey will tell ya dat fayemi did nufin, only for him to be buying cars for kings and at d end left civil servants salaries unpaid for 3 months and a huge debt for fayose to inherit. Go to ya state and stop saying nonsense.

OREMUSSANCTUS:
do ya even know ya village, ya just sit down in anoda manz land and discuss ekiti politics. Fayose is a man of d people, he's luved and respected. He won in all d local govt in ekiti, even in oye were fayemi is from. D question ya shld ask yaself is if d guy is lying or telling d truth. Buh I guess ya too dumb to believe or know d truth. Wadz dere if buhari is ill, dat apc had to lie to all nigerians dat he was wif blair and gave us an old pix, why did dey give us a pic of transcorp hilton hotel saying he did d interview in london. Grow up and stop saying shitz, don't bother saying or asking me abt d ekiti elction I wrote cos I conducted d election, and during d election I witnessed d massive supports ekiti people gave fayose. Ask ya parent and dey will tell ya dat fayemi did nufin, only for him to be buying cars for kings and at d end left civil servants salaries unpaid for 3 months and a huge debt for fayose to inherit. Go to ya state and stop saying nonsense.

No show mr.

He has a right to freedom of speech. Everyone does!!!

A person's opinion does not necessarily mean the collective opinion of all.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Same way I see a lot of m.oronic posts on Nairaland and I just shake my head and move on, instead of insulting them for sharing their opinions.

#NoTimeForBulls**t

Fayose is a mad dog. I don't know...violence, mayhem, hooliganism and all forms of vices just seems to revolve around GEJ & his camp. 2 bad.

Taylor86:
who gave jega license to speak, wen u know fully well u r under probation,

are you too daft to read or too dumb to comprehend writeups.

When I see the comments from some of this pdp supporters, I am a glad as well as heartbroken.

Glad because it's pretty obvious that's it's majorly the dumb ones that support this administration, the few enlightened ones admist them are greedy and gullible. E.g ffk and d likes.

Heartbroken because no matter how dumb and/or greedy they r still fellow countrymen.

Some of this folks deserve jail terms with gej, Fayose, ffk and others.

OREMUSSANCTUS:
Fayose is saying d truth by exposing d lies and propaganda from apc, buh d children of lies(apc thugs cum supporters) re too stupid and foolish to comprehend d good work fayose is doing. Buhari is too old and critically ill, no be curse or somtin to dance abt, we just concerned for d family. So dey won't lose dem bread winner like d yar'adua family

Is it true that 7 members of the house assembly are claiming to have majority power of the Ekiti State House of Assembly?

Postponement of election will neVer affect our decision.#CHANGE is inevitable.

See pdp robots, dey no even read d thread bt dey don dey insult JEGA of INEC.

Clueless paymaster produces clueless followers

The day APC takes control of Federal power this impunity will end and the majority legislators can with justification accuse Fayose of gross misconduct and impeach him.

This sums up Fayose's fear

It's so pity and pathetic that Nigerians, especially youths, are exhibiting the reasons while the Colonial Masters called our Great Grandpa APES!
Must you believe and comment sentimentally on any post you see on this forum? Use your brain to sieve and select real stories. Majority are after; is the post supporting or against my preferred Party and Candidate(s) respectively!
Seriously Nigeria as a Country is doomed!!!

I soooo love that age clarification point,Nnamdi Azikiwe did well, Awolowo did well... Buhari will get his chance too PDP can suck on this