A Non-Governmental Organisation in Ekiti State, the Ekiti Justice Group, has said that the desire of the impeached former governor of the state, Ayo Fayose, to return as governor will never materialise.
The group in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Dr. Tunji Oluwasanmi, and made available to journalists after a meeting held in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital on Wednesday said, it was important to respond to Fayose’s claim that he was the only credible person that could deliver victory for his party (the Peoples Democratic Party) in the June 21 governorship election in the state.
It said, “fielding Fayose by the PDP will mean another four years of sufferings for Ekiti people”.
It added that the people of Ekiti, especially the traditional rulers would rather mobilise support for Governor Kayode Fayemi instead of a return to Fayose’s era when Obas were hounded in car booths while senior citizens of the state were treated with contempt.
The statement read, “While we concede that it is the rights of political parties to pick any candidate of its choice, we wish to remind the PDP that the killing of five students of the College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti on March 15, 2004; murder of Tunde Omojola on May 28, 2005; detention of the late Attah of Aiyede-Ekiti, Oba Joseph Orishagbemi; murder of Dr. Ayodeji Daramola on August 14, 2006; and most importantly, the looting of Ekiti State treasury via the phony poultry project on which Fayose is still being tried, are still fresh in the memories of Ekiti people.
“It was on the basis of these negative past records, especially the war he waged on the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, that Fayose was openly campaigned against during the 2011 senatorial election by Ado-Ekiti high chiefs and elites in the town. Surely, the people will do the same if he is presented as candidate of any political party”.
“Why didn’t Fayose win his senatorial election when he contested under Labour Party? Why was he unable to deliver at least, his State House of Assembly to the Labour Party? Why couldn’t he win the 2010 Moba House of Assembly by-election election for the LP?
“If PDP likes, let the party present Fayose as its candidate. That will definitely be handing another four years to Fayemi and we doubt if Ekiti people will forgive the party.”
Fayose in a reaction said, “If I am not an issue in Ekiti politics they should just ignore me now. Why are they worried?
“You see, they are paid agents. I can’t join issues with them. Politics is a game of reality, not about propaganda and destroying names. The facts are on the field not in the newspaper.”