Gov. Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State

You mentioned Asiwaju Tinubu and Chief Bode George as leaders of South-West. What efforts are you making to support Tinubu for him to be recognised as a true leader of the Yoruba nation?

I want to tell you again there are many leaders in Yoruba land. But there is no gainsaying that Asiwaju Tinubu is the foremost leader in the Yoruba nation today. Somebody will take the lead to let us know that leadership goes beyond party. That is exactly why I took the lead to establish the fact that the Yoruba nation will be losing if Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu is humiliated. We must promote our leaders. When we get to party matters we can struggle for anything but not to destroy (our leaders). There is a saying that when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. Anything that will bring development and benefits to the Yoruba nation – any person that can do this – must be supported. You will recall when Fayemi was to be appointed as a minister, I directed all the senators from my state to support him because he needed the endorsement of two senators. I didn’t do it for politics. I did it for the overall interest and development of Ekiti. Most of these things I talked about, they (APC) can’t do it. They can’t celebrate you for one day. Even when you do something good they will call it bad. That is not a good spirit. A lot of debts were incurred by the state under Fayemi but I don’t celebrate it every day because when you want to celebrate a leader negatively sometimes you will be winning him sympathy. I don’t want to win them sympathy. I want to do the right things I was elected for and not to start complaining about yesterday like Buhari’s administration is doing.

Ahead of 2019 general elections, there will be a lot of realignment. Are you willing to work with Tinubu?

Well, politics is dynamic. Nobody knows tomorrow. Who knew Asiwaju could work together with Buhari? They had gone separate ways in the past. But they (Tinubu and associates) are the same people that packaged him (Buhari), which is good. They ate from the same plate afterward. You can never know what tomorrow holds; only God knows. We don’t know if there will be new parties. But I’m sure there will be alignment. I’m telling you whatever that will represent the Yoruba nation – Nigeria as a whole – I will be part of it.

You spoke fondly of Governor Aregbesola and recently he was a guest speaker at a public lecture held as part of activities marking the 20th anniversary of Ekiti State. What endeared you to him?

I also visited him. We have identical traits. We operate the same way and our actions are sometimes the same. You can’t lit a candle and keep it under the table. We are rising leaders. For us to move our nation forward, we must have relationships beyond political interests. I have great respect for him and I will continue to keep the respect.

A few days ago, the Department of State Services raided houses of some judges and arrested some of them. What is your view about the development?

I have always accused Buhari’s administration of being dictatorial. I knew all these would happen. In my prediction, I said the president would not provide a solution to the economy. I said the president would not have respect for the rule of law. I said the president would not respect court orders. I said he would be a dictator. All these are coming to pass. My prayer for Nigeria is that God will make a way for us to overcome these challenges. In our history, I have not seen where the judiciary was cowed like we witnessed recently. The consequence is that the common man will suffer. Nobody says we should condone corruption but the fact remains that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man. It should not be intimidated.

Your relationship with former President Olusegun Obasanjo was a father-son relationship. Will you be willing to make up with him?

That is if he is ready to make up with me. I’m not ready to take issues with Obasanjo because if you are talking about corruption today, Obasanjo is the cause. (What about) the N50m Obasanjo (allegedly) gave each lawmaker for his failed third term agenda? I was an Obasanjo boy. Obasanjo can’t be celebrated as a saint in Nigeria. When he talks, I just shake my head. Sometimes, when he goes to the (Presidential) Villa, I wonder if he has shame at all. When he was (the president), Buhari was not visiting him regularly. Obasanjo is behaving like somebody who wants to cover (up) something at all cost. I want a former president that will know this nation does not belong to one man. Most of the problems in this country were caused by Obasanjo. The impeachment of a governor by four lawmakers was done during Obasanjo’s tenure as a president. Tell me where the moral is. We should not deceive ourselves. The fact that he is supporting the government of the day tactically is to protect himself. Sometimes, I ask if he is looking for a political appointment. Have you seen Ernest Shonekan and other former presidents visit Buhari like he does? He is becoming a laughing stock. That is the way I see it.

You will be two years in office this week. Has running Ekiti State been easy?

Nothing good comes easy, especially with the financial situation of the country. Ekiti is not different. We have financial challenges. The debt profile is so huge and will be like this till 2036. But despite this, we have not done badly at all. We have so many things to show for the two years. I’m the most accessible governor in Nigeria. If they conduct an election here 10 times, I will defeat them. I won in all the 16 local government areas of Ekiti State. If an election is conducted today, I will still win in all the 16 local governments. I will defeat Dr. Kayode Fayemi and Segun Oni in their hometowns. There are two wards in former Governor Adeniyi Adebayo’s town; Adebayo will win one, I will win one.

Do you have any intention to intervene in the Ekiti State House of Assembly crisis, especially concerning two lawmakers who are at loggerheads?

I’m going to invite them. I’m aware of all that is going on. I have asked questions and in due course, I will invite the leadership of the party to see how we can wade in. In life, discipline is part of the journey. For whatever it is, everybody has a lesson to learn. Betrayal is not a thing you should pray for in life. But whatever it is, as a father, we will find a way to intervene.

Do you see APC stage a comeback in Ekiti State in 2018?

No way. I’m street-wise. When we start the game, the Independent National Electoral Commission that is trying to manipulate elections will know there is a street boy in Ekiti State. Somebody approached me and told me that if I wanted to win an election, he knew how to do it in INEC. When he finished talking, he asked me to help his children. I told him no. That is why you see people dying mysteriously because they have perverted the journey for some people. They cause pains and sorrow for people. INEC should allow Nigerians to make their choice. Candidates and political parties should contest an election against one another – not against INEC.

Credit: The Punch