A former governor of Ekiti, Ayodele Fayose has pleaded with all candidates of the PDP who lost during the February 25 elections to support the re-election of Governor Seyi Makinde in Oyo State.
Fayose commended Makinde for his courage in standing for equity and fairness with regard to the presidential election.
According to him, the ‘Asiwaju hurricane’ would have consumed if he had not stood for equity and justice in the February 25 elections.
Fayose spoke on Monday when he was featured on a Fresh 105.9 FM programme, in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.
Makinde is part of the G5, a group of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors who refused to support and campaign for Atiku Abubakar, the party’s flagbearer, over calls for the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu as the national chairman.
Fayose said despite his issues with Makinde politically, the governor has done well and deserves to be reelected.
“Let me commend Makinde’s efforts in the G5 group and history is already kind to him,” Fayose said.
“Let me tell you, from the beginning to the end, Makinde has always said that he stands for equity, justice, and fairness.
“Yes, working against an Asiwaju in Yorubaland too is a matter that deserves courage. If anybody in PDP is chosen, for example, if Makinde is chosen to be president, will we work against him even if we were in APC?
“If Makinde had not taken that honourable stand, the Asiwaju hurricane would have consumed him.
“Makinde, by all standards, has done well for the Yoruba nation. Whether it was assumed that it was his ‘effect’ that caused that problem or not, he already stood for the future of our country because our argument is that it should either be Obi or Asiwaju because they are from the southern part of Nigeria.
“Let me equally remind our brothers and sisters in Oyo state that Makinde has no powers to make you lose elections. One, he lost his polling unit. Will he hate himself? No.
“But the tide must not be denied. That was the tide in Ogun state, Ondo state, and Ekiti states.
“So, it is unfortunate and I want to plead with you not to throw the baby and the bath water away.
“You know me and Makinde had issues but let us give it to him as he tried. He did his best in this state.
” My people, if anybody is saying a young governor, he was a young man at the time he became the governor of Oyo state”, he said.
