The
outspoken Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, who declared his
presidential ambition ahead of 2019, has been blasted by his own party,
PDP, who rejected his intention.
Fayose speaking today in Abuja during his declaration
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the People Democratic Party (PDP),
has poured cold water on Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose’s Abuja
bid to seek its presidential ticket in the 2019 election.
According to Daily Sun, a member of the PDP BoT, Dr Okwesilieze
Nwodo, conveyed the message to Fayose on Thursday, when he told the
governor, pointblank, he cannot contest in the party’s primary poll for
the 2019 presidential election.
Nwodo stated this in Abuja, shortly after Fayose’s formal declaration of intent to contest for the party’s ticket in 2019.
He said PDP’s ideology forbade Fayose and other members from the
South from contesting in the presidential race in 2019, adding that the
ideology would be followed to the letter, in spite Fayose’s declaration.
“Fayose cannot run and I will tell you my reason…Now, we did
not only zone the presidency to the North, we have re-emphasised at
every opportunity we had that the zoning will take place. So, the party
will not collect Expression of Interest money from anybody else who is
not from the North and will not issue him a nomination form to contest.
No, we will not do that,’’ said Nwodo.
Fayose had earlier said in a letter to PDP leaders, insisted that
his ambition to be president was without prejudice to the party’s
position, and added that it was in the interest of the party and
Nigeria.
Meanwhile, during his formal declaration ceremony in Abuja,
Fayose vowed to defeat President Muhammadu Buhari at the poll, and
reiterated he would defeat Buhari in a free and fair contest.
He said despite the party’s decision to zone the its 2019
presidential ticket to the North, the Nigerian constitution guarantees
his right to contest for the position.
Pushing his position, the Ekiti state governor said the PDP needs
someone like him, who has a knack for defeating incumbent to fly its
flag in the 2019 presidential contest.
“Our party must not lose sight that Nigerians at this period
are desirous of a president with demonstrated capacity to change their
fortunes. Furthermore, we must be mindful of the fact that our party
needs a candidate like me, with a penchant for defeating incumbents.
“Twice, I defeated incumbents to become the governor of Ekiti
state and I am confident that with your support, as my party leaders and
supporters, I will defeat the incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari, in
a free and fair election…
“My name is Ayo Peter (Peter, the rock) Fayose. I will defeat this Goliath for you,” he declared.
“(Late President Umaru Musa) Yar ‘Adua was sitting quietly in
his house when (former President Olusegun) Obasanjo sent me to go and
tell him he wants him to succeed him. The man said no but God said
yes.
“Today, for the doubting Thomases, I want to be president of
Nigeria. I know I have haters; they will not die. They will watch me
enter Aso Rock. I am here to tell you that the hour of the Lord has come
for Nigeria. I have not lost any battle.”
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