Recently, the Ekiti state governor-elect Mr Ayo
Fayose of the peoples democractic party (PDP) was on NTA to talk about his victory and re-election by the people of Ekiti, he shared his thoughts, joy and intentions for his state, I recorded and wants to share with you, if by all indications everything he said was true, then I’m not surprised at his victory and by the margin he outnumbered the incumbent governor Fayemi.
Excepts
ON HOW HE WON,
He said that most leaders are almost on high horses, since I
left office, I have been with my people, I have spent seventy-five per cent of
my time with my people because the moment you are not popular, you dare not go
into politics.
I want to remain like Awolowo in Ekiti state, I want to
remain the people’s governor, today if I tell okada riders not to ride without
me, if I tell them not to pick anybody, they will never pick you. I am called
the teachers governor, I am called the architect of modern Ekiti, my structures are there. .
ON HOW HE LOST AS A SENATOR ,
He has this to say; you see there
are a number of factors, you could lose if you are popular, if this election
was to be a general election, I could have a lot of challenges because thugs
could mar such an election, losing to thugs, to rigging, does not mean a righteous
man is not righteous, I am a strong force, but if you expose me, if I expose my
wife, if I expose you as a lady(referring to the lady presenter)men will take
advantage of you, that is the reason men must protect their wives and must
protect the people around you, the moment an election is well protected, the
righteous will suffer, I did not lose, I lost to injustice, and for me if it is
the will of God, I would have won it, I see it as the will of God, I didn’t go
to court, I’m not a court man, seeking redress in court, I either win there or
forget about it.
ON FAYEMI CONCEDING DEFEAT
Well I appreciate that and I’ve
always said that any governor in this country should be respected because they
occupy high offices, they are wonderful and should be given every right of way,
because to be a governor is supremely from God, we are very few in this
country, so I appreciate what governor Fayemi has done, but quickly it’s a feat
saving reverse for governor Fayemi, what will you say to the court, how will
you account to losing, an incumbent is suppose to defeat everybody round, I mean,
trend about, but for you to lose up on to your ward, i mean, it is equally more honorable
to do that part of honor, I’m not saying what he has done is not good and I appreciate
him and I have said it t him, but what I’m saying, to be sincere with
ourselves, what would you say to the court? Except you want to waste the time
of the court, except you want to play to
the gallery-he is not an incumbent, a man challenging you eight years after,
who left office eight years ago, left office on the 16th of October 2006
and I’m returning exactly the same date,16th of October 2014. It has
proved to Nigerians that propaganda is useless, propaganda is meaningless,
somebody came and said he is fighting Obas, he is killing this, he is killing
that, the same man they claim to be killing, fighting, is the same man wanted
by the people, something is wrong somewhere, propaganda when it fails, this is
the result, we must come in terms with
reality in Nigeria today, when somebody die, you will see leaders of this country
coming to pay homage, and after that you won’t see them again, that is propaganda
The people will be sick in the hospital, you won’t see them, the
people will need help you will never see them, propaganda is a tool that must
be condemned. I appreciate governor Fayemi conceding defeat, appreciating
defeat and whatever, but let me tell you that election as judged free and fair,
if I was I his shoes, I will do the same thing so that I will not go and
disgrace myself.
YOU MET WITH THE INCUMBENT TELL US WHAT TRANSPIRED.
He said in
the spirit of being a state man, doing the right thing, he is accepting defeat
in the spirit of love and unity for our state, we have to appreciate him to
respect us too, for me he is our leader in and out of office, he is our
brother, whatever has gone in the past is gone, if I want to be a governor, I’m
governor already, so I have to love him, he has to love me and I have requested
that we have to call our leaders together and let our subject know that we are together,
he is in APC, I’m in PDP but that does not stop our politicking, but we must
equally demonstrate it, whatever we are saying, our body must be saying it,
what you are saying with your mouth must be agreeable with your body language,
so I’m watching.
THE OUTCOME OF THE ELECTION WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU DON’T HAVE
TO RIG TO WIN, WHAT ARE THE SUCCESS FACTORS FOR ELECTIONS.
Identify with the
people, you see if you have a dog and you feed the dog on and on, you take
care of the dog, each time you come the dog will wag it’s tail for you, the
outcome is staying with the people, for me eight years of my departure, I stayed
with the people, I picked up my calls, I gave them my numbers on the television
and Radio, they call me, I pick up my calls, I will talk to them, somebody will
call ask me for money, I need ten thousand naira, I will tell him I have five
thousand, will that be ok? They will say yes, I have their account numbers; I will
make efforts to support them even when it is difficult. Many can’t pay their fees,
I still make effort to support them and when it is Christmas , I will hire
poultry farms to produce fouls for me at least if I can’t give you ram, I will
give you a foul, you know that whenever you are doing one thing or the other, Fayose will be there,
I don’t look down on you(the masses) I don’t behave like a typical governor who
will lift his hands up with security everywhere, if you touch my people as a
security man, I will sack you, they know that and if I don’t sit, I will come
to the market, I have given employment to many people in the market, I’ve given
employment to many people when I’m working on the road, when you hear
OSHOKUMOLE,EKWOKE,IRUMOLE TON DE JELLOF RICE, THAT’S ME(all laughs)I’ve lived
with them, when you drive to the market your car will be filled with so many
gifts
.
WHEN YOU SAY YOU WILL RUN AN ALL INCLUSIVE GOVERNMENT, HOW DO YOU MEAN?
Well,
love is the key, forgiveness is the key, put the past as past, for anybody in
Nigeria will believe that I have been duely wronged from the days of Obasanjo
that is the truth, we have to say it, but for me, yesterday is yesterday, if
you don’t bring everybody together then you are not a leader, you don’t deserve
to be in that position. Joseph said to his kinsmen, his brothers that even GOD
meant it for good, you understand, most men of God that suffered injustice In
the bible did not come back to revenge, one of the attributes of a good leader
is to forget the past, love everybody and so when you see love from the governor,
there is hope for you, you don’t have to say Fayose for four years, ha hunger
will kill me, tell them not to be afraid, I won’t kill them.
