Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, on Wednesday visited the governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, as part of his efforts to actualise his ambition to be president.
Although Atiku met with Mr. Fayose behind closed-doors, he hinted that he discussed his ambition with the governor whom he described as a leader in the party and a force to reckon with.
Speaking to journalists on the public statement written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo on President Muhammad Buhari, Mr. Atiku said although it was a personal letter between two individuals, the contents of the letter confirmed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had failed Nigerians.
“The letter was a personal issue between two individuals, so I won’t like to comment on it,” he said.
“However, the letter confirmed that the APC government under Buhari has failed Nigerians.”
Speaking in the same vein, Mr. Fayose said he was disappointed because he did not vote for Mr. Buhari.
“I will never stop being against him. I was not too young when Buhari came first time and we knew the hell he took us through,” he said.
“At his first time, he was putting people in jail and he was not in charge, it was ldiagbon that was in charge. The man is dark in the mind.
“Now the message has come from Obasanjo, who was Buhari’s greatest promoter and navigator, telling him to go home. The end has come for the APC, our suppressors and oppressors. You can only rule a country as diverse as Nigeria if you are truly a leader.
“I can tame herdsmen effectively. Tell everyone, if you vote APC, second and final sufferings is what you are inviting.”
On his mission to Ekiti, Atiku said Mr. Fayose “calls the shots and when he does so, we all take the queue.”
“Since my return home to PDP this is the first state I am visiting for consultations with party leaders,” Atiku said.
“This is not surprising as Fayose and I had struck a good relationship since his first tenure as governor and I was VP. He is blunt and straightforward, a sharpshooter in politics and I respect him for that this.
“But above all, he is also the chairman of our governors forum. Today, among the governors, among the party generally, he calls the shots and when he does so, we all take the queue.”
He praised Gov. Fayose for his achievements, noting that he had his footprints all over the state capital.
“Another unique thing the governor has done is telling me that his deputy is being supported as the party candidate in the next election, this is a very rare feat in the democratic system of our country,” he said.
“How many deputy governors have succeeded their governors? It means he has foresight and wants someone to continue his good works.”
Mr. Fayose, on his part, described Atiku’s ambition as legitimate and a welcome development.”
“Vice President Atiku has not spoken to me privately about his ambition, and maybe he would do that in our private meeting,” Mr. Fayose said.
“But his body language obviously shows he has an ambition which is legitimate. We will all examine everybody and we will have a level playing ground, as he has come, others will still come.
“I have paid my dues, I am not a hidden voice. I have all it takes to lead this country, but whichever way it goes, the interest of our party comes first, it is above our individual aspiration. Whoever the party finally picks as the party’s candidate will be supported by others.”
“I want to assure you that we only have leadership in Abuja, real party is in the states and at the local government level, we have done it before, we will do it again.”
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