The governor of Ekiti state, Ayodele Fayose has taken a swipe at the former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo following his handshake with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa.
Speaking with newsmen on Friday, November 13, after the Ekiti state house of assembly named him the ‘leader’ of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Fayose revealed that Obasanjo is always begging for relevance” at the presidential villa. The Cable reports that the governor’s anger was ignited after the former president prostrated for President Muhammadu Buhari during his recent visit to Aso Rock.
Speaking on Obasanjo, whom he reportedly had a peevish relationship with over the years; Fayose said great leaders don’t talk about their political placement hence they talk about country’s placement, where the country would be at the appropriate time.
“For everything I say, I say it in good conscience. When I was criticising the president before he became president of Nigeria, they thought I will be quiet after. Tomorrow, if I find him wanting, I will tell him. The president is not God, he’s only leader of our country for a period of time. “By morals, it can’t be the turn of Yoruba, if truly we are into rotation and for me, I’m not vying for anything. I’m not equally going to the senate.
Senate is what most governors will rush to; I’m not going. I won’t contest for senate. So anybody expressing anything for me is wasting his time because am not going to beg for any office,” he said.
The governor said he got to his position because God wants me there, noting that he still has three years to rule. He questioned who knows what will happen in three years’ time or where Nigeria itself would be by then. He reiterated that he has no apologies to offer because he has been like this from time immemorial, and that Nigeria belongs to all of us.
He said:
“This weekend, I will be 55; a lot of people died when they were 10 years old. Some died when they were 20, some when they were 30 or 40 but I’m 55. If I die today, my children will still entertain guests at my burial, you understand.
They will equally leverage on my achievements for consolation. Gowon was president of this country at 28 or 29, Obasanjo was president of Nigeria at 37, today I’m still battling with the office of a governor and those people we are talking about are still talking in the public after being 80 or 90 years of age.” Fayose noted that being a member of the opposition means he is not to praise the government but rather to tell the truth.
