Even if Tinubu is made INEC boss, APC can’t win Ekiti again —Fayose
The governor of Ekiti State, Mr Peter Ayodele Fayose, in this exclusive interview, bares his mind on a number of national issues. Deputy Editor, SAM NWAOKO, brings excerpts.
SIR, how do you see being a governor under President Muhammadu Buhari?
Elections have come and gone and, as I always say, President Muhammadu Buhari is the president of Nigeria, not by his own grace or by my own grace but by God’s grace. If I tell you that I wanted Buhari as president, I am a liar. I wanted Jonathan but God has given it to Buhari and so, we all have to submit to the will of God, the will of Allah, because He gives power to whosoever He willeth. So, I have congratulated Buhari; I wish him success and a good tenure. However, that does not remove the fact that if he is not doing it rightly we will not state our mind. It is a free society; there is no almighty governor; there is no almighty president. We are all governed by civility and by the constitution. It was in those days that somebody would just wake up and sack a state’s House of Assembly and start fumbling, like it was in the days of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Such things can’t happen again. So, we are moving forward to civility in Nigeria. We are moving forward to constitutionality and obeying the rule of law. The fact that Buhari became the president, nothing has changed, because he is going to govern Nigeria; Ekiti is just a unit of the country and Ekiti is a federating unit. We have our autonomy; he can’t come and govern my state. Everything that is federally connected, he has right to it but in my state, I am the chief executive. That is why they call me “Executive Governor”. If he wants to assist Ekiti people, it is not about Ayo Fayose. And I’m sure President Buhari is a man that will not want to dwell on pettiness or operate by it because Governor Fayose did not support him. When Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was in power, the All Progressives Congress (APC) members, who were in the opposition, operated peacefully in their states. Jonathan did not say they should come to Ekiti and remove Kayode Fayemi from here. It is a system in which the people dictate who they want.
And that brings me to the fact that Ekiti is gone for good from the hands of APC. Even if Senator Bola Tinubu [the leader of APC] becomes the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, they will lose in Ekiti, because they are not on the ground here. The kind of politics I play is that wherein I tie myself to the people, not the people tying themselves to me. If you look at the processes of the botched impeachment, what happened aftermath, was a defence put up by the people, not even me. We, however, thank God. It was the Lord’s doing.
Buhari is the president, by God’s grace. We wish him well. But I must also state without mincing words that I don’t curry favours that I don’t need. I represent my people and my duty is to make sure that I cooperate with the Federal Government. When you say Federal Government, Buhari is the face. When you say Ekiti government, I am the face. We will cooperate, collaborate and work with the Federal Government and it will not end up as personal issues between the president and Fayose. That will mean pettiness. Buhari too needs opposition; the country needs a virile opposition for the system to survive. The people said PDP was not doing it well, they voted us out. Okay. PDP was not doing well, let us see what APC has to offer. But for me, they have not started well. This pace is too slow and they are playing to the gallery too much.
But the APC has been saying that President Buhari is performing well.
Do you expect them to say that he is not performing well? You want them to say he is not performing when Boko Haram has virtually taken over the country now? Apart from other issues like the North/South dichotomy, religious sentiments and change in itself, one of the key reasons, in terms of policy and in terms of needs, why Nigerians voted for President Buhari is security. They want to be secure. Everybody was shouting “bring back our girls”, the APC was shouting that Jonathan had no capacity and that the moment Buhari comes in, within 30 days, Boko Haram will be inside the River Niger. Rather, Boko Haram is now spreading their tentacles and growing in confidence. Both opposition and the government must stay together to fight insurgency, but I need to remind them that they were the people politicising this thing. So, it has come to the fore. But it is a different ball game now:

lol if jagaban is inec boss apc will win u.s election

I pray dat God gives our leaders d wisdom 2 govern .

Who Cares?

It is all Good! But as a Governor of the people big or small Ayo needs to be more diplomatic in his dealings and utterances! It doesn't show weakness in anyway. Always remember that some of the so called Big people also played their part in getting you to the point where the so called common people of Ekiti were able to vote you back as Governor! Good luck as you govern the people of Ekiti State!

Fayose na you get your mouth

Lol! OMG!! I love this man!

LOL

This man needs to be cured of his diarrhoea of the mouth

Thats my fayose. Naa only u get mouth for apc

Believe this shit at your own risk.

Baba never get your time.

FAYOSE MY GOVNOR.
BUHARI MY.......?

this fayose na trouble maker sha.......I wonder how his youthful days were like.