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I’ll Never Join APC, No Regrets Working Against Atiku, PDP – Fayose
A former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, has said that he has no regret working ‘one hundred percent’ against the presidential ambition of Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the build-up to the February 25 election.
Fayose further stated that he was not afraid of being kicked out of the party for anti-party activities, and vowed never to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress following the victory of President Bola Tinubu.
The politician made the revelation when he was featured on ‘Politics Today’ on Channels Television on Sunday night.
“I am still a member of the PDP except the PDP says ‘Fayose, we don’t want you anymore.’ Then they have set me free of the yoke. But in all sincerity, it is a party that I believe in, subscribe to, and want to stay forever. I will never join the APC,” he said.
Continuing, the two-term governor noted that he has never hidden his admiration for the President who has more than proven in time past that he is the new leader of the Yoruba race.
Fayose also admitted to placing birthday adverts in major newspapers consistently for many years during his reign as Ekiti governor.
He said, “I have never hidden in my position on Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Let me remind you very quickly. I never knew Asiwaju will be president of Nigeria and there was no time in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 that I have not celebrated his birthday on the pages of newspapers as the then-governor of Ekiti state. One of the messages I passed across at that time was that party politics notwithstanding, he will remain our leader in the West for long.
“Even when the APC was playing games, I stood up to remind President Buhari that Asiwaju was largely instrumental in his becoming president of Nigeria. As a Yoruba man, he deserves to be accorded his respect. I want to remind you again that in 2021, I said all the shenanigans against him by those behind him will be defeated.
“I never knew he will be president of Nigeria. When he got back from the knee surgery treatment that he went for, I openly, during the day, went all the way to Bourdillon to welcome him back. I counted the costs before I took those actions. If Tinubu is not an example to identify with, somebody like me would not identify with him.
“Let me also tell you that till today, I have not materially or by position benefited from Asiwaju. I was the first Nigerian despite being a member of the PDP to say that it is the turn of the South and I have no regrets making that statement.”
According to him, Nigerian politicians must learn to remain upright leaders beyond party politics.
This was even as the former governor claimed he won’t feel bad if he is expelled from the opposition party, saying his sacrifice for Nigeria’s unity will be appreciated someday.
“I am 63 years of age. I won’t jump from one bed to another. I would rather leave politics if it will get to that stage. When Buhari became president in 2015, the majority of our party leaders including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar left the PDP and went to support Buhari. Otherwise, the PDP would have still been in power. So don’t let us go there. Now that election has come and gone and we are in governance. Do we now say that Asiwaju is the president of APC? The answer is no. If I can go to Bourdillon to see him during the day without hiding, going to see him at the Villa is what?
“Don’t get it wrong. I worked against him (Atiku) 100 per cent. Nigeria is bigger than the PDP, APC and even Asiwaju himself. Let us call a spade a spade. I am not a man that will hide my action. If PDP doesn’t need me again, they cannot say I cannot live. But I love the PDP even though the party has not been fair to me. I am a principled man. So let me say to you, chill. I never worked for PDP during the last election. I am not a liar or a pretender. I did not work for PDP,” he stated.
Source: Reuters
Arise Television anchor, Rufai Oseni, has alleged that there may be attempts to prevent key opposition figures, including Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, from appearing on the ballot for the 2027 general elections.
Oseni’s remark followed a Federal High Court judgment ordering the de-registration of some political parties.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples’ Party (APP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Action Alliance Party (AAP) over alleged constitutional breaches.
The judgment arose from a lawsuit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), which argued that the affected parties failed to meet constitutional and statutory electoral performance requirements necessary for continued recognition as political parties.
Justice Lifu subsequently barred INEC from recognising the affected parties, accepting nominations from them or permitting them to participate in activities related to the 2027 general elections.
The ruling, if upheld, could affect the political ambitions of several politicians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the ADC presidential flag-bearer, and Osun State governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party.
But speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Tuesday, Oseni described the court ruling as a “test” of public reaction, warning that more actions could follow ahead of the next general election.
According to him, opposition parties such as the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, should be cautious, claiming that efforts could be made to stop major figures from participating in the election.
Oseni argued that the judgment was part of a broader process aimed at shaping the political landscape ahead of 2027.
He maintained that the ruling came despite some of the affected parties having recorded electoral victories in recent elections.
He warned that Nigerians must remain vigilant to safeguard the country’s democracy, stressing the need for judicial reforms alongside efforts to tackle insecurity.
Oseni said: “NDC, ADC should be careful because there will be attempt, and this is me predicting now, to ensure that Obi, Atiku and other big contenders are not on the ballot.
“This that you saw yesterday is just a test. This is not the real place where the whole thing is going. This is me predicting now.
“You know before you have a show you test the microphone. They want to see the reactions of Nigerians. More is still coming.
“You can see how they carry a judgement when ADC won two House of Representatives seats in Kogi, one Kogi House of Assembly seat, APP one chairmanship seat in Jigawa, Zenith Labour party won several seats in Abia, but they still went ahead and issued judgement for deregistration after the Court of Appeal, a higher court, said it should stay on that.
“If we want to deal with this judicial rascality, can I tell you something? The judge that gave this judgment, nothing will happen to him. Nothing on this earth. They are just coming.
“And who is leading this group? Gbajabiamila. Have you forgotten what Gbajabiamila said on Hon Ajibade’s birthday? So they are just coming. This one is just a test. The next one they will do is the NDC.
“With the way they’re going, if Nigerians don’t shine their eyes when they will finally have this election, you will not have the major contenders in the ballot. This thing they have just done is to test reactions from Nigerians.
“I saw this thing coming. You know we are going into an election in which Atiku Abubakar is the only major candidate from the North. It’s not like the last one you have Kwankwaso that can split the Kano votes. And you have Peter Obi and general consensus that a lot of people are in abject penury, insecurity is raging hard.
“This is the beginning of many things. They are just testing the microphone. It’s engineered. More is coming. Nigerians, it is you that will save your democracy. Judicial reforms have become so important as insecurity in Nigeria.”
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has picked former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.
Announcing the decision, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said Amaechi’s emergence followed broad consultations within the party and reflected his strong performance as runner-up in the party’s presidential primaries as well as his track records of service to his state and the country.
According to the ADC, Amaechi’s extensive experience across both the legislative and executive arms of government, as former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, two-term Governor of Rivers State, and former Minister of Transportation, makes him uniquely qualified to complement Atiku’s leadership, strengthen the party’s national appeal, and bolster its campaign to offer Nigerians an experienced and credible alternative ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The party said the choice of Amaechi underscores its commitment to presenting a leadership team with proven governance experience and national appeal as it prepares for the 2027 presidential contest.
ThisDay
