Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose , speaks with KAMARUDEEN OGUNDELE
about President Muhammadu Buhari ’s health , his role as an opposition leader, relationship with Obasanjo and other issues
Your tenure is drawing to an end . You have one year and three months left before you are required by law to step down for another successor . How has your second coming been ?
What is important is what we have made of time spent . We have demonstrated leadership by example . We have made ourselves accessible , accountable and respected by our people . If not for God and my achievements , my enemies would have gone the whole hog to attack my person. Because my people believe in me , I came back into this office based on my previous performance – during my first term as Ekiti State governor . My people have given me the trust and cooperation to serve them . Thus , I ’m happy that we have made credible achievements and impact in their lives .
What are the most memorable moments for you as governor of Ekiti State ?
One of them is the trust that I have enjoyed , even in the face of being a prominent opposition figure . The people have shown me love beyond my imagination . One of the things I want to be remembered for or that we have done differently is stooping to conquer. Let me tell you, even if you have 50 years in office , you cannot finish it all . You keep working and giving your best to the people . It is only God that can acknowledge your performance . We will never finish serving and there will always be a desire in an economy . Where you are managing poverty and trying to meet the expectations of the people , you have to continue trying.
What would you say are your strengths and weaknesses as a leader ?
Anybody can have money but it is not as important as the openness and the access enjoyed by the people . We mingle freely and allow people to have free access to us . That has given us more support than we can imagine . I sincerely appreciate the cooperation of the people .
What about your weaknesses?
I ’m a mortal. I ’m not infallible . Sometimes , we get angry and, sometimes, we do things the way people don ’t understand . But we retrace our steps in line with the will of the people . There is no perfect man , so I can ’ t claim that ( to be perfect) . I have only decided to be humble . Today , anybody coming after me has a lot to do to be trusted by the people because the stakes are very high – the people know what they want. It is no longer about the roads we have tarred ; schools and markets we have built or other infrastructural development we have brought ( about ); it is about our personal relationship with the people .
Your role in the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and Acting President Yemi Osinbajo places you as the spearhead of the opposition . Why did you take on such a responsibility ?
Like I always say to people , life is not about your personal attainment of goals and aspiration; it is about being counted for the people . If you don’t stand up for something , so many things will stand up against you . Some people say it is because I enjoy immunity . What about others that enjoy immunity ? A lot of leaders today are afraid of speaking the truth . But I know there is no gain without pain . We stood in the gap for the people . I am the longest – serving governor . I served under former President Olusegun Obasanjo with the likes of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and former President Umaru Yar ’Adua – then , former President Goodluck Jonathan was a deputy governor . I later served under Jonathan when he was the president and now under President Muhammadu Buhari . I have traversed many administrations and worked alongside some of the gladiators in Nigerian politics today .
I ’m an experienced man . At different times , I have made contributions to the development of Nigeria . As an opposition figure , I ’m truly expected to give the government of the day a run for their money. I must make them give value for the votes given to them . The opposition is an integral part of democracy ; without that , you have autocracy . Someone has to be the voice of the people in this trying period because we cannot all see things the same way . The government must be put on its toes at all times and be made accountable to the people .
Can you speak more on the warning you gave to Nigerians that you ‘ put life and death ’ before them as regards voting for Jonathan or Buhari in the 2015 presidential poll ?
I ’m a man that enjoys God ’s grace . The Bible says before I was born I was in my mother ’s belly , God knew what I would be . I ’m the man God wants me to be because God gave me a woman after his heart knowing my limitations , my excesses and my pains . Beyond politics , we are different people before God . Things some will do and get away ( with ) , some will do and never get away . I have gone through so many challenges, but today , I ’m still standing . Many thought that by the time Buhari got to power , Fayose would be dead . That is not a democracy . We are not afraid of battles ; we are not afraid of saying the truth . Moses , Joseph , our Lord Jesus Christ and Prophet Muhammad ( SAW) stood in the gap to stand up for the truth . For me, there is no personal issue between me and the President . But I want to establish that I was a young man when he became the ( military ) head of state . I watched him closely with his deputy, Gen . Tunde Idiagbon .
So , I was a young man who saw tomorrow and never shied away from narrating the story . I said repeatedly that President Buhari did not have the capacity to rule Nigeria and I did not hide it. Concerning all that I have said so far , I have no regret. I always say the abundance of a man does not consist of things he possesses . Life is not in the realm of what you have achieved and what you have not achieved . Generations come and go. Everything I have said will come to pass . Our president is very old to rule . We wish him good recovery but not to return as president if he does not have the health to back it up. If I said the President was not well at the time , it has manifested . We will continue to pray for him . Anybody can get sick but one must be honourable enough to say when he doesn ’ t have the capacity to continue ( to serve the people ) .
As the only Peoples Democratic Party governor in the South- West , do you see yourself at a political disadvantage in the region ?
Former Governor Bola Tinubu was the only opposition governor at a time in the South -West . Today , by the cooperation of other stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress , they conquered Nigeria . I ’m going to lead the opposition to conquer Nigeria like Tinubu did . The fact that you are in the minority does not make you lesser than those in the majority , in terms of wisdom, understanding, God’ s backing and
hope for the future .
Recently, South -West governors , including you, came out to form an alliance . How will this work with you in the opposition?
Our working together for the good of South- West has nothing to do with politics . Everyone needs to contribute to the growth of this country , so is this region. It doesn ’t matter the party I belong ( to) . They are only saying we should stay together in terms of security, agriculture and have peer review. Hunger does not know political party . People want good roads , water , services , etc. There is no way party politics will make me not to cooperate with my colleagues in the South- West .
You said you have 11 damaging photos to prove President Muhammadu Buhari’ s health is deteriorating . How do you feel when governors and aides close to Buhari are saying the President is recovering ?
We thank God that the President is able to come up and talk that he is hale and hearty . My statement put pressure on the Federal Government – because since the President left no one heard anything about his health status . If you listened to the Ebonyi State Governor ( Dave Umahi ) , he said it was a miracle that the President recovered . If something is a miracle , it means that what I said about the President ’s health was the truth . With due respect , everything I have said is the truth and remains the truth . The fact that one is placed on life support does not mean that the person cannot recover . But the question should be : does one have the health to continue with rigorous work of office ?
Do you think you should have been included on the list of governors invited to the United Kingdom to see Buhari?
I ’m indifferent . Nigerians wanted me to be there . But I believe in the judgment of my colleagues . If Nigerians wanted me to be there but they ( Buhari ’ s handlers ) didn ’t give me the access , what can I do? I have to move on and join them to wish the President well. What is important is Nigeria . When Senator ( John ) McCain was sick in the United States , he came out boldly to say he had a brain tumour . The health of the President is a public issue . It is the handlers that are causing the confusion . Like I said , I don’ t want the President dead , but we want to know the true state of health of our president . For me , I ’ll love to go there ( the UK ) to see ( him) . But if they say they are not giving me a passage, it is all well and good , as long as the President is hale and hearty . If he is not fit , let him resign .
Why do you think the presidency failed to include you on the list of the latest visitors to Buhari in the UK ?
The President denied drawing the list , saying it was the governors ’ forum . I ’m not desperate to go there . If they feel it is important I represent – if not, I ’m still an opposition figure . Many people are not comfortable with me and I don’t blame them . They may feel I would want to come and tell Nigerians what actually transpired there . But I cannot lie; I can ’t say what is not true; I can ’t make up things. I can ’t celebrate lies . That does not mean that my colleagues that went there are lying . What we are praying for is that the President should get well.
Do you have any personal relationship with President Buhari?
None whatsoever .
If you have the opportunity to meet him , what will you tell him ?
I will wish him well – and that , if he is not fit to continue ( to rule the country ) he should resign . What else would I say ? Everything I have said , I will stand by it. The offices of the president and governors require a lot of energy . Whatever interest we represent, we cannot deny that . Our adversaries – our opponents – know that we are saying the truth . But because they are the beneficiaries of what is going on , they will defend it. But I ’m not afraid of speaking the truth . Truth heals and endures .
You said you are the next president . If your prediction comes true in 2019 , don ’ t you foresee a heated polity ?
I never predicted my presidency . I have a right to contest and I said I will contest and I will win. When I predicted that I would come back as governor of Ekiti State , many people doubted ( my prediction ) . But because man has no capacity to see tomorrow , they can write you off. Those who wrote me off then see me in the position of authority today . When I was down the valley, they thought I would never rise. But the Lord said in Psalm 23 : ‘I will set a table before you in the presence of your enemies .’ In this country , I’ m going to the ( Presidential) Villa . I ’m saying that , by the special grace of God , those who doubted me today will visit me in Aso Rock as the president or the vice president – as the case may be .
What is the next step for the PDP , now that its two -year crisis seems almost resolved ?
We are holding a non -elective convention on August 12 to work and extend the tenure of the ( Ahmed ) Makarfi National Caretaker Committee to give us a structure that will take us to the next level.
What do you think is the solution to herdsmen ’ s attacks on farmers ?
We have the prevalence of certain crimes because they are being aided by the powers that be , either in the security agencies or otherwise . The moment the system is functional , a lot of crimes will disappear . Everybody knows the consequences of their actions and knows the system will not shield them . We should stop aiding evil in this land .
Are you in support of regional government ?
I ’m in support of strengthening the states . I ’m in support of devolution of powers from the centre to the region or the states . As it is currently constituted , the centre is becoming dictatorial . They want to tell you what to do in your state , but we are all federating units and should be respected in line with the constitution .
You have identified with Nnamdi Kanu , someone who was accused of openly seeking money abroad to buy weapons to fight against Nigeria . Why ?
I ’m not aware of that fact . But let me say this , you are presumed innocent until proven otherwise. That is what the law says . Saying Nnamdi Kalu is this or that is prejudicial and unfair. I don’ t believe in the disintegration of this country , but I believe in the right of Nigerians being respected . Agitation is normal . This country belongs to all of us . They should pay attention to the dwindling economy , poverty ravaging the land and hunger .
Recently, you called for sanctions against Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and his group. Don’ t you think this will further polarise the party?
Sheriff has no followers ! That is the truth . Sheriff is a hijacker; he is an impostor . Every system must have discipline. If today , Sheriff and his co -travellers had succeeded , they would have expelled people like me and the Rivers State Governor , Nyesom Wike. There must be discipline in the system . If there is no discipline in a system , one is wasting his time . These are characters that are used to scuttling truth and justice in our land . That was why I regretted supporting him initially . We should sanction them . I don ’t believe in politics of lies ( no winner , no vanquished) – that is a political statement . Going forward , the party must sanction some people .
What about factions loyal to him in Ekiti , Ondo , Edo and others ?
There is a lot of make-believe . Let the people in Ekiti come forward and tell us they are members of Sheriff ’s group . They have taken to their heels and we are going to discipline them . A few of them that are enemies of the party , we will expel them . The moment they don’ t show remorse , we will expel them .
How do you think Sheriff should be sanctioned?
Sheriff should be expelled . Sheriff , by his action – if you see the peace that pervaded this country after the ( Supreme Court ) judgment , you would see that there is peace without Sheriff . If it had gone the other way round , many people would have left the PDP . Nobody has left the party after Sheriff lost the judgment .
You once reportedly worked against the interest of Senator Ahmed Makarfi when he aspired to be president . Today , you fought to ensure he is the chairman of PDP ’ s National Caretaker Committee . What changed ?
I never worked against Makarfi . I only said Obasanjo set up a committee and asked us to choose the presidential candidate . I was with a former Rivers State Governor , Peter Odili; others were with Makarfi. But Obasanjo told me that Makarfi would never be president of Nigeria and that I should not work for him. That is all . At the end of the day , Obasanjo moved against Odili . He knew his intention and ambition before he gave us that order.
Why have you been attacking former President Olusegun Obasanjo at every opportunity you have ?
I ’m not attacking him . I ’m only saying things I know about him because I ’m a living witness of Obasanjo ’s life . I worked with him and know that Obasanjo is a sadist , an opportunist – a man who would rather put a weakling in position ( of power ) . How would he ask Yar ’Adua that he knew was sick to be president? I wonder why some media ( organisations) celebrate Obasanjo. Obasanjo has no character . Obasanjo was the first president that trampled on our constitution in all ways using brute force. That is why Obasanjo does not have a ( foot – ) hold , in terms of human beings , in party politics in the South- West . Obasanjo is only left with the clout of being a former president . When you say human support , Obasanjo does not enjoy such in the South- West .
*Punch
