In this interview with AKINWALE ABOLUWADE, a former Governor of Ekiti State and Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, says he possesses all the qualities to make him governor again
Your wife said your return to Ekiti State Government House was confirmed to her by God, do you believe this?
It is ordained by God. I agree and believe in what she has said. I align myself with what she has said.
Why are you so optimistic?
We do not walk by sight but we live by the word of God. My wife is a spiritual woman. My wife is not a politician, she is a woman of God and whatever comes out of her mouth must be from the mind of God.
Can you say there are indications that you will emerge as the candidate of your party?
We are not in the position to work out things; we are only to believe what God says and do our best as human beings. Every other thing we do is physical; it is only God that will make things possible. The power to make it possible rests with God. We live by faith and not by sight. We have chosen to believe God and allow God to work it out.
Some people are saying you are too desperate about returning as governor. Is this true?
Everybody has their opinion. That is their opinion and I cannot contest their opinion. God has made us differently from one another. We are entitled to our opinions but I will not leave my future in the hands of people who do not believe in it. I will rather believe in the people who believe in my future. I believe in the God of all possibilities and it is ordained by God that we should equally make efforts to get to our destination. If you want to go to Lagos, there must be an effort; you must drive, you must get a car, you must ensure the car is in good condition to get to Lagos. I am making legitimate moves. It is my legitimate right to contest again and I’m doing so.
A report quoted you as indicating that the presidency gave you backing to be the PDP governorship candidate in Ekiti State, can you confirm this?
I did not say that to you; I did not address you at any point in time; I did not say that to you and I did not address you. I did not say a word like that to you, as a person. If anybody had said that, it is them saying it, not me. Nobody should quote me as saying that.
Do you have the backings of powers that be within the PDP?
The question here is that, I have the backing of God and I stand by God’s backing and God is the only one that lives in me. What is important is that people bringing words or imagining certain things just to discredit me are wasting their time. I won’t take that. I want to make it expressly clear that the President has said he would make an enabling environment for all aspirants to contest or to emerge. That he said expressly in our presence and I am happy with that.
Some people are calling for a consensus candidate. Do you support that?
Anything that is ordained by God will never fail to achieve its purpose. Whichever direction it goes, whichever way it goes, God cannot be defeated and cannot lie. I will be governor of Ekiti State again on October 16, 2014. Whichever direction it goes, whichever way it is handled, God cannot lie and He is not man that should lie. Whether it is in the primary, I am still a step ahead by telling you that I will be governor, which confirms that whichever way it goes, whichever direction it takes, I will be governor again.
What efforts have you made in the bid to realise your dream?
I have done all the needful. Like I told you, even if God says yes from day one, you still have to do the needful. The needful might not be well with everybody because Fayose means different things to different people. Within the PDP, to my ardent supporters, I am their mayor. To my opponents within the PDP, I am their opponent. To so many people, I am so many things and anyone that believes in me should keep on believing in me and anyone that does not believe in me, I leave them in the hands of God to take absolute control.
Do you still think many of those that are your critics are intimidated about your profile?
Let me say it this way. Nobody in Ekiti State will say Fayose has no electoral value. So if they agree that I have electoral value, the degree of assessment is personal. But I want to tell you that today, as long as I live and I’m alive, on October 16, I will be Governor of Ekiti State. October 16 will be exactly eight years that I left government house. It will be the same day, the same hour I left office eight years ago. Oni left October 16, 2010, I left October 15, 2006, Fayemi will leave on October 15, 2014. I was removed from the House of Assembly on October 16, 2006; Fayemi was sworn in on October 15, 2010; and I will be brought back October 16, 2014, exactly eight years like Kwankwaso of Kano. And when you look at all these dates, it so instructive; it is very clear that God is into business that is beyond human comprehension. And if you look back, Nebuchadnezzar was taken away for seven sections. It was exactly seven years. Mine is exactly eight years and I shall be installed.
Some people are wondering why you seek a return?
It is very simple. The constitution gives me the right to aspire to win election at two different times; two swearing-in ceremonies — taking an oath twice. I have taken oath once and I desire to take an oath the second time in fulfilment of my civic right as a citizen of Nigeria living under a constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As long as I am not living outside the constitution, I am doing justice; doing that which is right.
It is a belief in some quarters that if your party does not eventually make you its candidate, you may defect.
Let me tell you again, responsively, God has a plan for every man and his plan has never failed. If God’s plan has never failed, and I’m telling you emphatically, by the grace of God, I will be governor. God will work it out.
What is your advice to other aspirants?
My advice is that we should totally rely on God than conspiring. We should totally rely on God. If they are the ones chosen by God, I will work with them because God rules the affairs of men. No man will choose himself among us and I am not going to conspire against anyone to get to any position. I will not conjure lies or look for ways to destroy anyone. Above all, it is God that will work this thing out. Men’s efforts will fail with time. I now say emphatically today, whoever God chooses among us, I will work with.
Do you sense that some aspirants are trying to conspire against your person because of your popularity?
Even if they are conspiring, I will still tell you again, conspiracy will not displace God’s perfect way for me. I want to assure you that they know that God rules in the affairs of men.
In the area of violence in politics, what advice do you have for the electorate?
Violence cannot happen here anymore. If you watched the last few elections, most of the politicians did not complain about violence. They said security was good in the election; some said people were sharing money on Election Day; some said they did not find their names on the electoral list. In terms of violence, they are gradually getting over that today. There could be electronic rigging, where people would go and manipulate things. We will get over that too soon.
Some people are afraid because there are currently 29 aspirants in the PDP.
There are no 29 aspirants in PDP; I stand corrected. A man who is an aspirant knows he is an aspirant and jokers know they are jokers. People who want appointment know they want appointment; people who are looking for recognition know they are looking for recognition. It is a fact that the PDP is viable today, which is why you see some people coming out because they believe that if they don’t come out, maybe, they won’t find something for them. I don’t believe in 29 aspirants. PDP does not have up to 10 aspirants. Anybody who is feigning to be an aspirant, the Bible says we can only say we are serving God by works. There should be evidence of the fact that you are an aspirant. Do you say an aspirant who cannot even print his own poster is an aspirant? Do you say an aspirant who has not visited any local government, who does not know who the local government or the ward chairmen are, is an aspirant because he just printed 2,000 posters and put it before the secretariat? And let me finally close here, I have certain qualifications that no other aspirant has. I am a former governor. I am the first elected PDP governor in Ekiti. Aside from that, I am the first governor to defeat an incumbent governor. Lastly, nobody has broken that record as I am speaking to you. I am the only one who has the experience of governing a state and wants to govern it again.
So, I am the most qualified and I should be so respected. Even if they give anybody the ticket apart from me, they cannot go far without coming back to seek my cooperation. Likewise, I can’t go far without seeking their cooperation because it is going to be one-man-one-vote. Nobody should be taken for granted.
There are fears that the struggle by aspirants to fly the flag of the PDP could tear the party apart?
Let me make it clear to you, I can only talk for myself and I will say it again and again, when God is in a business, he does not fail. I promise that I will not rock the boat whichever way it goes.
PUNCH
No comments:
Post a Comment