Why I refused Tinubu’s offer to join the APC – Ayo Fayose
The immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose has told journalists the reasons behind his refusal to accept the open ticket offered him to dump the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In an interview with newsmen at the weekend, Fayose said Tinubu tried to woo him to join the APC in 2009 because he openly supported Kayode Fayemi’s candidature for the governorship election in Ekiti despite being a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The controversial former Governor explained that he backed Fayemi and campaigned for him instead of PDP’s Segun Oni because the latter had made life a living hell for the people of the state.
Fayose said it was based on this that Tinubu tried to get him to join the APC in Ekiti. However, he said he rejected the former Lagos governor’s overtures, adding that he would only quit politics the day he leaves the PDP.
Fayose said, “I want to quote Governor Wike. He said somebody has malaria, you want to dash him cancer. That is the same way I will represent it. APC is a cancer to the nation, even to the people that brought the party to power.
“I listened to Pastor Tunde Bakare on television a few days ago… those things coming from Pastor Bakare does not represent the man supporting Buhari since 2011. The same applies to many of them, even in Northern Nigeria. When the head is sick, the whole body is in trouble. President Buhari has destroyed that party.
He explained why he will never join the ruling APC: “Let me say it very clearly. I am not in APC, I will never be in APC and even if I get angry inside this PDP, we will fight it together and I will still remain in this party. What will make me leave this PDP, that means I have retired from politics.
“In 2009, I supported Governor (Kayode) Fayemi openly. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu did everything, asking me to come to APC but I said no. Who will be my leader in Ekiti APC if I join? Is it this Fayemi that we are talking about? Or will it be former governor, Niyi Adebayo? Yes, Adebayo was governor before me. He was governor in 1999 and I became governor in 2003 but the truth is, it is good for them to be on their lane and I also will be on my lane.
“Former governor Segun Oni gave me horror when he was in office as governor and to show him that the world is not about him, I supported Fayemi then in the governorship election.
He also said that he had nothing to gain by dumping his party for the APC. “Let me say to you, I am a clear character. What benefit will I derive by joining APC? Most of the governors today preserve themselves by clinging with Buhari before 2019. I never did that. in Nigeria today, I am one of the people that APC will not forget in their life.
“I stood my ground against APC not because I hate anybody but because what I was saying about them has played out overtime. I am not somebody who will say what he is not convinced about,” he said.
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