Oni didn’t learn from my experience —Fayose •Jonathan to campaign in Ekiti May 22

CANDIDATE of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose, has said that a former governor of the state, Chief Segun Oni, who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) would regret the move, saying he (Oni) didn’t learn from his mistake.

Fayose, who made the remark on Friday while addressing a rally in Ifaki-Ekiti, home town of the erstwhile governor, also announced to the gathering that President Goodluck Jonathan would on May 22 visit Ekiti State to drum support for the victory of the PDP candidate in the June 21 election.

Fayose told the gathering that he worked for Governor Kayode Fayemi when he “got angry with the PDP and left in annoyance” and when he (Fayemi) won the election, “they left me in the cooler.”

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He added: “I eventually returned to the PDP. Oni has decided to join them, he will also be left in the cooler. However, after we must have won the election, we would bring him back to the PDP and ask our leaders to grant him waiver. I don’t want to be a general without soldiers. He has lost all his supporters and we are telling him that he has made a mistake.”

He said President Jonathan was coming to Ekiti to officially present the party’s flag  to him, and charged party members  to be committed to the electoral battle to be able to emerge victorious in the coming

election.

Meanwhile, Fayose has promised to return the University of Science and Technology (USTI) Ifaki Ekiti, established by the government of Oni but scrapped by the Governor Kayode Fayemi government.

He said  he is ready to engage Fayemi, a PhD holder in a debate on how to govern the people, even as a Higher National Diploma holder.

Also on Wednesday in Ikole Ekiti, at a mega rally he said the mega rally is meant to celebrate the defection of  ex-governor  Oni, an indigene of the town , who defected to the All Progressive Congress last Monday.

Describing Oni’s defection from PDP as very regrettable, Fayose alleged that Fayemi will betray Oni the way he betrayed him after he became Governor, despite the fact he (Fayose) worked for his victory during  the 2009 Rerun election.

He said, “After  October 16, 2010 when Fayemi was pronounced the governor, he left me in the cooler and I know very soon that he will put Oni in the cooler.”

Fayose, who expressed optimism that Oni will return to the PDP, however, said he is ready to plead with the party leaders to grant him waiver anytime he wishes to return to the party.

Fayose, said “you don’t need to be a PhD holder before you know how to govern the people. I am ready to teach Fayemi on how to govern  the people. All you need to do is to listen to the people and do what pleases them.

“I did  not borrow a dime in 2003 when I was in Government . I even left a sum of N10.4 billion in the coffers of the State when I left in 2006.

“As we speak today, Fayemi who has a PhD has borrowed over N20 billion from the capital market. We have the wherewithal and the native intelligence to govern the people.

“I am always with the masses, I know what they want and I know how to proffer solutions to their yearnings,” Fayose said.

Present at the rally were Fayose’s wife, Mr Feyisetan Fayose, ex Deputy Governor Biodun Olujimi, Senator Teslim Folarin, Senator Ayo Arise,  former Rep member, Duro Faseyi , Prince Dayo Adeyeye, a former Commissioner under   Oni, Mr Dare Omotoso, Hon Bisi Kolawole, former State Deputy Chairman, David Oke among others.