Ekiti
State governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, on Sunday, addressed newsmen in Lagos
on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, war against
corruption, governorship polls in Kogi and Bayelsa states, and other
salient issues.
ON the election that brought him to power
You would recall that after I won the Ekiti State governorship election, there was this effort to stop me from being sworn in. It generated a lot of controversy, even before and after the election. There was one story of photo-chromic military rigging and all that. You would equally recall that there were four elections after mine: the presidential, National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly elections. They all followed the same pattern even when military men were not enough for the whole country.
It is good for anybody to complain about the elections but when you are not on ground, you cannot win an election. After Dr Kayode Fayemi conceded in the Ekiti poll, his party,. the All Progressives Congress (APC) still went ahead to challenge the outcome of the election up to the Supreme Court, and we still won. The Supreme Court dealt properly with the issue of impeachment and it did not raise issues of whether the election was won or not. It talked about the issue of academic certificate that was raised in 2002. It equally raised the issue of non qualification as a result of impeachment. The court dealt with it all the issues and it was a landmark judgment already reported in all law journals. So ordinarily, I think this should put paid to all these stories.
An online newspaper generated a report of a conversation and I came out to say that I was part of the conversation. I was the complainant in that conversation. But, you now set up a military committee to look into the Ekiti and Osun elections that were adjudged to be free and fair. The Americans and international observers made it very clear that they recommend the Ekiti election for subsequent elections in the country.
To my surprise, I heard they set up a panel to look into the activities of some military men during the elections in Ekiti and Osun. That is their choice. To fulfill all righteousness, I sent my Attorney-General and Commissioner for Information to give them information that they might not have. For instance, they might not be privy to the report of international observers on the election. If the international community says the election was free and fair; that the military did well, they (the military) will be on their own if they indict their personnel because of politics.
Stand on the Buhari administration
I have been very critical of the present government and I will continue to be critical of any government in Nigeria, because democracy is about opposition and the government in power. I have no regrets and I am not sorry for my actions. I did not start being critical of government after Buhari’s election. I started before the poll. I actually told Nigerians not to vote for him (Buhari). I made advertorials and I am still not sorry for that. I still maintain my stand because I envisaged the current practice of disobedience to court orders and dictatorship. Forget about those who rule Nigeria, but we must insist to be ruled by the rule of law. We must appreciate that the hope of the common man is the Judiciary and every order issued by the court must be respected by every Nigerian.
Forthcoming LG poll in Ekiti
For instance, we are expecting the judgment of the court this week concerning local government election. I said it earlier; I am going on with the election except the court says otherwise. I am going to obey the court; otherwise, anarchy is going to kill this nation.
Promoters of Buhari
Those who promoted Buhari to be president, at one time or the other later in the country will regret their action. Most of them are already regretting and suffering in silence because when you promote a lion and you don’t remember to guide his claws and jaws, one day, you will end up in the lion’s stomach.
Still on the Ekiti governorship poll
We are living testimonies of (former President) Olusegun Obasanjo’s misrule. So, I am a clean person. But, what they are doing is to go to Kaduna. After all submissions, they now want to say the military rigged the Ekiti election. They are releasing their report very soon and knowing full well that the military report holds no water in law, the Attorney-General (of the Federation)would want that report reviewed and approach the Supreme Court to review its position, which is not known in law. Andy Uba, Great Ogboru, and a number of other people did it and they were told it was not known to law. So, I want to remind them that they are on the verge of destroying democracy in Nigeria. Call it fighting corruption, but they are on the verge of destroying democracy in Nigeria!
The Kogi election
The Kogi experience is still very fresh. It doesn’t matter which party I belong but the votes and views of Nigerians must be respected. When a man did not participate in an election and he is the beneficiary of that election! I don’t know whether they announced the winner on the basis of the supplementary election. At the point when the election was held, it was believed that all the procedures leading to it had been observed and there must be somebody declared winner at the end. If a man is dead, he doesn’t enjoy democracy and votes from an election. Automatically, the election came and the processes followed, and a winner must be announced. Incumbent governor of Kogi, Captain Idris Wada was supposed to be announced. Now that you have equally chosen not to announce Wada, I don’t know how you brought in somebody else who did not participate in the election. I must commend Honourable Abiodun Faleke. I am not saying he is the winner, but we must commend him for standing out in the midst of the current darkness. God uses a man for a purpose at a given time. Faleke is being used for a purpose in this period of our democracy.
Bayelsa election
In Bayelsa State, the military was seen engaging the electorate physically. It is all over the social media. We will continue to remind Buhari on his antecedents and his current attitude to undermine democracy in the land. There is no lion again in Nigeria. We own this country together. I am Ayo Fayose. I am from Ekiti State; I am popularly known as Osokomole. I am telling him again, the consequence of dictatorship is the fall of the dictator. It is either he threads softly, or to remember the same Nigerians, who gave him the opportunity to govern the country after several attempts.
What Buhari should do on the fight against corruption
President Buhari must be bold enough to go beyond fomer President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure. Let us look at all the NSAs in office in the last 16 years. He should go a little further. The Halliburton saga is there, why is he (Buhari) shying away from there? I am saying that corruption is even on a higher scale under Buhari ever than before.
Warnings ahead of 2016
There are 16 things that will happen in the country in 2016. I am going to publish them. There will be so much of disobedience to court orders. There will be removal of oil subsidy within the first quarter of 2016. Corruption under Buhari will be on the increase. Poverty under the administration of Buhari will be like never before. I want to equally establish that power generation under Buhari will be at its lowest ebb in 2016. Our earnings will be critical and worse. I can’t remember others as I speak, but I will publish them later.
We cannot continue with the current propaganda. I want to say that Buhari should make public, in the last 16 years, finances under all the NSAs. You would be amazed if you knew what has happened. Who is fooling who?
When you look back, late General Sani Abacha stole all the wealth of this country, but none of his people have been jailed up till now. Let us look back, General Ibrahim Babangida was alleged to have issues over oil wind fall, but heaven did not fall till date. I am not promoting corruption, but I need to tell them what sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
They will divide this country beyond measure the way they are going. The agitation for the division of this country is building up, and we need to be careful and tread cautiously. If you look at the appointments being made; if you look at the way things are going, I am sure those who had promoted Buhari would have a rethink. This country belongs to all of us. Today, it is a Hausa man ruling; yesterday, it was an Ijaw man; years back, it was a Yoruba man. What goes round will one day come round.
Buhari and his men
I want to appreciate everyone of you and to tell you that they are after me and I am prepared for them. The Ekiti people gave me their mandate to govern them. I am the first Nigerian politician to defeat two incumbent governors at two different attempts. I have records. When they talk, they say I wear a particular type of cloth. What is their business? The people that I govern are very happy with me, whether I wear tattered clothes. They are hypocrites; they do something else in the cover and another in the open.
I want to stand here and defend the interest of the common man without fear or favour. Any attempt to invade my state will not go down well with them. They made attempts to make my swearing in impossible, but the people rose against them. They made attempts to ensure I was impeached, but the people rose against them. They made attempts to the level of the Supreme Court to stop me, they were stopped. They are at it again; they want to use a military panel now.
Would you say the role of the military, for example, in the Ekiti election, was perfect or otherwise?
I want to make it very clear: I am not in a position to judge the Ekiti election, but we have judgment and opinions about the Ekiti election. The international community and the Americans phoned to congratulate me personally and they wrote. It is on their website, where they recommended the Ekiti election for all subsequent elections in Nigeria in respect of the conduct and its handling by the military. They recommended it for the 2015 elections that we have just concluded. The international community said it went well; the Americans said it went well and advised Fayemi to accept the result of the election. That was why he accepted the result. If I don’t have the conviction, I won’t accept. We should be honourable for awhile, and I am saying it expressly that that election was the best.
Most of the governors today are on a high horse to climb down. I am there on the ground with my people. I work in their midst; I live with them; I dine with them. I am telling others to take away their babaringas and come down. They should do policies that target the people directly. Fayemi and the APC have a total disconnect with the people. They should be honourable enough, it is not every election they must win. Can’t you see the way they are annulling PDP elections? The same template, different judgments! Have you seen such in our history, the kind of judgment concerning the governorship matter in Taraba State? We want to see if the APC will not destroy even the Judiciary. The judiciary needs to rise up. The day I spoke about that arm o government, they all condemned me, shouting and all that. At the end of the day, Buhari came and said the Judiciary is corrupt.
Earlier on, that is, about two months ago, I said they should come clean and tell Nigerians about the situation of economy, Buhari came out and said Nigeria was broke. It was after I talk they will come back and confirm what I say to be true. Why would you do two elections and pronounce them inconclusive? It is an inconclusive government we are running now. Most things will be inconclusive very soon; the economy will be inconclusive. Buhari himself is tagged as Baba Go- slow. Nothing is working: small companies are dying due to policies that are not working well. Where are we going? Is it all about pursuing political opponents? Watch very well, he was on AIT; we have all the things said about him during the elections. Oh so, that man must go in for it; Raymond Dokpesi must go in for it. The National Security Adviser must go in for it!
The facts will soon emerge. We are working gradually to open a can of worms between 1999 and now. We are going to release a lot of things. To cow everybody, including the press, that is why they are sponsoring that bill in the National Assembly. I am surprised too that the pressmen are keeping quiet. They can’t talk again; they are afraid.
You have expressed your view about what transpired at the military panel, a decision which you said was going to be pursued up to the Supreme Court and you tried to predict what is likely to happen to your victory at the poll. Tell us who are those people behind the plot?
They are the APC and the Presidency. The military panel was selected for the hatchet job. The same military handled the election in Ekiti and Osun. The PDP won in Ekiti but the APC won in Osun, heavens did not fall. They have a target, but we are waiting for them. You can only start a thing; you cannot muscle or kill everybody. What happened during the poll in Bayelsa? Let us look at the role of the military in that state; it is all over the social media. Are we going back to 1984 under Buhari, where he will be beating us when we go to buy essential materials? That will never happen in this country. They can’t cow us.
Are you not afraid of your life fighting this battle the way you are?
My brother, forget that one! This year, I am 55; I will be 56 next year. If I die today, I have five sons, they will do a big party. People will console them that your father lived an exemplary life; that he was governor twice. They will still move on and enjoy my wealth. Those things we fear most happen to us eventually. I am not a coward. Life is not about how many years you live, but what you stand to represent. Within or outside Ekiti, I don’t use siren. I don’t carry policemen or DSS about. I don’t need them. If you come, you are only wasting your time because I have nothing to hide. There is even no money for anybody to steal. You were in this country in 2006; the way they paraded me as an armed robber over the poultry project. Today, am not the one that has become a governor again? Could you ever say Fayose will come to town and start parading the streets of Nigeria again? But today, I am their master. I am going places. I said it in 2008 that I am coming back and I am here again. I am going higher and higher. I have a place in Nigeria that I am yet to get to. Those who are afraid of death should know that something will kill someone someday. I stood to fight all through the eight years and as God would have it, here I am today! Look at my pattern of history. I left on October 16, 2006, and I came back on October 16, 2014. That is instructive; that God is with me. The very day the Buhari-administration faces me, his government will come down, quote me; the very day Buhari singles me out. I am a child of destiny. Any government that confronts me will come down. It will not stand the test of time.
Why will you emasculate everybody because we are opposed to you? I am in PDP and will never go to any other party. I am Ayo Fayose. I was governor without a godfather. I was there for three and half years before Obasanjo took me out. I am back now but he is an expired man today, and I am still making impacts. He is expired; he goes to Aso Rock to beg every week, prostrating. How many times did Buhari visit him when he was president in Aso Rock? Buhari did not step Aso Rock throughout not even the Council of State meeting.
You would recall that after I won the Ekiti State governorship election, there was this effort to stop me from being sworn in. It generated a lot of controversy, even before and after the election. There was one story of photo-chromic military rigging and all that. You would equally recall that there were four elections after mine: the presidential, National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly elections. They all followed the same pattern even when military men were not enough for the whole country.
It is good for anybody to complain about the elections but when you are not on ground, you cannot win an election. After Dr Kayode Fayemi conceded in the Ekiti poll, his party,. the All Progressives Congress (APC) still went ahead to challenge the outcome of the election up to the Supreme Court, and we still won. The Supreme Court dealt properly with the issue of impeachment and it did not raise issues of whether the election was won or not. It talked about the issue of academic certificate that was raised in 2002. It equally raised the issue of non qualification as a result of impeachment. The court dealt with it all the issues and it was a landmark judgment already reported in all law journals. So ordinarily, I think this should put paid to all these stories.
An online newspaper generated a report of a conversation and I came out to say that I was part of the conversation. I was the complainant in that conversation. But, you now set up a military committee to look into the Ekiti and Osun elections that were adjudged to be free and fair. The Americans and international observers made it very clear that they recommend the Ekiti election for subsequent elections in the country.
To my surprise, I heard they set up a panel to look into the activities of some military men during the elections in Ekiti and Osun. That is their choice. To fulfill all righteousness, I sent my Attorney-General and Commissioner for Information to give them information that they might not have. For instance, they might not be privy to the report of international observers on the election. If the international community says the election was free and fair; that the military did well, they (the military) will be on their own if they indict their personnel because of politics.
Stand on the Buhari administration
I have been very critical of the present government and I will continue to be critical of any government in Nigeria, because democracy is about opposition and the government in power. I have no regrets and I am not sorry for my actions. I did not start being critical of government after Buhari’s election. I started before the poll. I actually told Nigerians not to vote for him (Buhari). I made advertorials and I am still not sorry for that. I still maintain my stand because I envisaged the current practice of disobedience to court orders and dictatorship. Forget about those who rule Nigeria, but we must insist to be ruled by the rule of law. We must appreciate that the hope of the common man is the Judiciary and every order issued by the court must be respected by every Nigerian.
Forthcoming LG poll in Ekiti
For instance, we are expecting the judgment of the court this week concerning local government election. I said it earlier; I am going on with the election except the court says otherwise. I am going to obey the court; otherwise, anarchy is going to kill this nation.
Promoters of Buhari
Those who promoted Buhari to be president, at one time or the other later in the country will regret their action. Most of them are already regretting and suffering in silence because when you promote a lion and you don’t remember to guide his claws and jaws, one day, you will end up in the lion’s stomach.
Still on the Ekiti governorship poll
We are living testimonies of (former President) Olusegun Obasanjo’s misrule. So, I am a clean person. But, what they are doing is to go to Kaduna. After all submissions, they now want to say the military rigged the Ekiti election. They are releasing their report very soon and knowing full well that the military report holds no water in law, the Attorney-General (of the Federation)would want that report reviewed and approach the Supreme Court to review its position, which is not known in law. Andy Uba, Great Ogboru, and a number of other people did it and they were told it was not known to law. So, I want to remind them that they are on the verge of destroying democracy in Nigeria. Call it fighting corruption, but they are on the verge of destroying democracy in Nigeria!
The Kogi election
The Kogi experience is still very fresh. It doesn’t matter which party I belong but the votes and views of Nigerians must be respected. When a man did not participate in an election and he is the beneficiary of that election! I don’t know whether they announced the winner on the basis of the supplementary election. At the point when the election was held, it was believed that all the procedures leading to it had been observed and there must be somebody declared winner at the end. If a man is dead, he doesn’t enjoy democracy and votes from an election. Automatically, the election came and the processes followed, and a winner must be announced. Incumbent governor of Kogi, Captain Idris Wada was supposed to be announced. Now that you have equally chosen not to announce Wada, I don’t know how you brought in somebody else who did not participate in the election. I must commend Honourable Abiodun Faleke. I am not saying he is the winner, but we must commend him for standing out in the midst of the current darkness. God uses a man for a purpose at a given time. Faleke is being used for a purpose in this period of our democracy.
Bayelsa election
In Bayelsa State, the military was seen engaging the electorate physically. It is all over the social media. We will continue to remind Buhari on his antecedents and his current attitude to undermine democracy in the land. There is no lion again in Nigeria. We own this country together. I am Ayo Fayose. I am from Ekiti State; I am popularly known as Osokomole. I am telling him again, the consequence of dictatorship is the fall of the dictator. It is either he threads softly, or to remember the same Nigerians, who gave him the opportunity to govern the country after several attempts.
What Buhari should do on the fight against corruption
President Buhari must be bold enough to go beyond fomer President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure. Let us look at all the NSAs in office in the last 16 years. He should go a little further. The Halliburton saga is there, why is he (Buhari) shying away from there? I am saying that corruption is even on a higher scale under Buhari ever than before.
Warnings ahead of 2016
There are 16 things that will happen in the country in 2016. I am going to publish them. There will be so much of disobedience to court orders. There will be removal of oil subsidy within the first quarter of 2016. Corruption under Buhari will be on the increase. Poverty under the administration of Buhari will be like never before. I want to equally establish that power generation under Buhari will be at its lowest ebb in 2016. Our earnings will be critical and worse. I can’t remember others as I speak, but I will publish them later.
We cannot continue with the current propaganda. I want to say that Buhari should make public, in the last 16 years, finances under all the NSAs. You would be amazed if you knew what has happened. Who is fooling who?
When you look back, late General Sani Abacha stole all the wealth of this country, but none of his people have been jailed up till now. Let us look back, General Ibrahim Babangida was alleged to have issues over oil wind fall, but heaven did not fall till date. I am not promoting corruption, but I need to tell them what sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
They will divide this country beyond measure the way they are going. The agitation for the division of this country is building up, and we need to be careful and tread cautiously. If you look at the appointments being made; if you look at the way things are going, I am sure those who had promoted Buhari would have a rethink. This country belongs to all of us. Today, it is a Hausa man ruling; yesterday, it was an Ijaw man; years back, it was a Yoruba man. What goes round will one day come round.
Buhari and his men
I want to appreciate everyone of you and to tell you that they are after me and I am prepared for them. The Ekiti people gave me their mandate to govern them. I am the first Nigerian politician to defeat two incumbent governors at two different attempts. I have records. When they talk, they say I wear a particular type of cloth. What is their business? The people that I govern are very happy with me, whether I wear tattered clothes. They are hypocrites; they do something else in the cover and another in the open.
I want to stand here and defend the interest of the common man without fear or favour. Any attempt to invade my state will not go down well with them. They made attempts to make my swearing in impossible, but the people rose against them. They made attempts to ensure I was impeached, but the people rose against them. They made attempts to the level of the Supreme Court to stop me, they were stopped. They are at it again; they want to use a military panel now.
Would you say the role of the military, for example, in the Ekiti election, was perfect or otherwise?
I want to make it very clear: I am not in a position to judge the Ekiti election, but we have judgment and opinions about the Ekiti election. The international community and the Americans phoned to congratulate me personally and they wrote. It is on their website, where they recommended the Ekiti election for all subsequent elections in Nigeria in respect of the conduct and its handling by the military. They recommended it for the 2015 elections that we have just concluded. The international community said it went well; the Americans said it went well and advised Fayemi to accept the result of the election. That was why he accepted the result. If I don’t have the conviction, I won’t accept. We should be honourable for awhile, and I am saying it expressly that that election was the best.
Most of the governors today are on a high horse to climb down. I am there on the ground with my people. I work in their midst; I live with them; I dine with them. I am telling others to take away their babaringas and come down. They should do policies that target the people directly. Fayemi and the APC have a total disconnect with the people. They should be honourable enough, it is not every election they must win. Can’t you see the way they are annulling PDP elections? The same template, different judgments! Have you seen such in our history, the kind of judgment concerning the governorship matter in Taraba State? We want to see if the APC will not destroy even the Judiciary. The judiciary needs to rise up. The day I spoke about that arm o government, they all condemned me, shouting and all that. At the end of the day, Buhari came and said the Judiciary is corrupt.
Earlier on, that is, about two months ago, I said they should come clean and tell Nigerians about the situation of economy, Buhari came out and said Nigeria was broke. It was after I talk they will come back and confirm what I say to be true. Why would you do two elections and pronounce them inconclusive? It is an inconclusive government we are running now. Most things will be inconclusive very soon; the economy will be inconclusive. Buhari himself is tagged as Baba Go- slow. Nothing is working: small companies are dying due to policies that are not working well. Where are we going? Is it all about pursuing political opponents? Watch very well, he was on AIT; we have all the things said about him during the elections. Oh so, that man must go in for it; Raymond Dokpesi must go in for it. The National Security Adviser must go in for it!
The facts will soon emerge. We are working gradually to open a can of worms between 1999 and now. We are going to release a lot of things. To cow everybody, including the press, that is why they are sponsoring that bill in the National Assembly. I am surprised too that the pressmen are keeping quiet. They can’t talk again; they are afraid.
You have expressed your view about what transpired at the military panel, a decision which you said was going to be pursued up to the Supreme Court and you tried to predict what is likely to happen to your victory at the poll. Tell us who are those people behind the plot?
They are the APC and the Presidency. The military panel was selected for the hatchet job. The same military handled the election in Ekiti and Osun. The PDP won in Ekiti but the APC won in Osun, heavens did not fall. They have a target, but we are waiting for them. You can only start a thing; you cannot muscle or kill everybody. What happened during the poll in Bayelsa? Let us look at the role of the military in that state; it is all over the social media. Are we going back to 1984 under Buhari, where he will be beating us when we go to buy essential materials? That will never happen in this country. They can’t cow us.
Are you not afraid of your life fighting this battle the way you are?
My brother, forget that one! This year, I am 55; I will be 56 next year. If I die today, I have five sons, they will do a big party. People will console them that your father lived an exemplary life; that he was governor twice. They will still move on and enjoy my wealth. Those things we fear most happen to us eventually. I am not a coward. Life is not about how many years you live, but what you stand to represent. Within or outside Ekiti, I don’t use siren. I don’t carry policemen or DSS about. I don’t need them. If you come, you are only wasting your time because I have nothing to hide. There is even no money for anybody to steal. You were in this country in 2006; the way they paraded me as an armed robber over the poultry project. Today, am not the one that has become a governor again? Could you ever say Fayose will come to town and start parading the streets of Nigeria again? But today, I am their master. I am going places. I said it in 2008 that I am coming back and I am here again. I am going higher and higher. I have a place in Nigeria that I am yet to get to. Those who are afraid of death should know that something will kill someone someday. I stood to fight all through the eight years and as God would have it, here I am today! Look at my pattern of history. I left on October 16, 2006, and I came back on October 16, 2014. That is instructive; that God is with me. The very day the Buhari-administration faces me, his government will come down, quote me; the very day Buhari singles me out. I am a child of destiny. Any government that confronts me will come down. It will not stand the test of time.
Why will you emasculate everybody because we are opposed to you? I am in PDP and will never go to any other party. I am Ayo Fayose. I was governor without a godfather. I was there for three and half years before Obasanjo took me out. I am back now but he is an expired man today, and I am still making impacts. He is expired; he goes to Aso Rock to beg every week, prostrating. How many times did Buhari visit him when he was president in Aso Rock? Buhari did not step Aso Rock throughout not even the Council of State meeting.
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