Fayose also said Nigerians have always risen to vote against any individual who tries to scuttle the power shift arrangement between the northern and southern parts of the country
By Kehinde Okeowo
Major opposition party chieftain and former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, has accused the presidential candidate of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar of going back on his words.
Fayose, also insisted that power must shift to the southern part of Nigeria in 2023 after the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term in office for peace progress, and justice.
He made the assertions in a recent interview with PREMIUM TIMES, where he alleged Atiku “promised” to make the Rivers State governor, Wike, his running mate after he was declared winner of the PDP presidential primary election but failed.
According to the two time Ekiti State governor, Atiku visited Wike after the PDP primary election and offered him the vice-presidential ticket only to later announce Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate.
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He also accused his party’s presidential candidate of turning the PDP into a one man-show by ignoring the recommendation of a committee set up by the opposition party to pick his running mate.
He said, “Wike never said he wanted to be VP, but when Atiku visited him, he was the one who said, ‘I want you to be my VP’. He said that to Wike. If that then changes, is Wike not supposed to be told? Is he not supposed to know?”
“PDP set up a committee to recommend a running mate for the candidate and the committee voted and picked Wike, but they didn’t comply with the recommendation of the committee.”
“If the party is now a one-man show, we will show them that we can resist it. We are with Wike 100 per cent.
“When they need Wike’s money and Wike’s support, they will say, ‘Wike is good enough’. Wike has been injured, but we will remain with him. Whatever he does is what we would do; wherever he asks us to go is where we will go.”
Fayose went on to argue that Wike can never support Atiku after his betrayal and added that in case he decided to do so, he and other stakeholders in the party will abandon him.
He added, “Wike cannot come out to say he is supporting Atiku. I dare him to say so; because he knows that whatever he says will haunt him forever. If Wike supports Atiku, we will abandon him.”
“It is normal for our people to be aggrieved but the PDP has a way of resolving issues like this and that will be done and we all shall be happy.”
The PDP chieftain further asserted that it doesn’t matter who wins between All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu, or his counterpart in the Labour Party, Peter Obi, as long as a southerner emerges as the winner of the 2023 presidential election.
He also felt power shift has been a pattern in the country and whenever anyone tried to scuttle such the plan like President Goodluck Jonathan did in 2015, Nigerians have always risen to vote against such an individual.
Fayose continued: “this is not about Bola Tinubu or Obi, but this is about our belief that power must come to the south and it is a struggle we must actualise.
“When the June 12 election was cancelled, the presidency was zoned to the southwest to pacify the southwest region.
“When former President Goodluck Jonathan was over staying, it was believed that he was already using the northern slot. So, he was opposed and a northern candidate was installed through the APC.
“This time, it is the turn of the south because Buhari has spent eight years. Why will PDP be insisting that it must again be the turn of the north.”
The former number one citizen of Ekiti State also stated that he does mind being expelled if his action is seen as anti-party activity.
“ What I am saying is, it is the turn of the South, and if they want to expel me, to hell with them. I am not taking money from anyone to belong to this party.
“If they want to rock this boat, we will help them to rock it.” he further narrated.
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