After initially saying that he will support a southern candidate in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election, former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, has backtracked on his comments, saying that his presidential candidate remains Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
The former governor clarified that despite his misgivings about the current state of affairs within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he has never mulled the idea of defecting to the All-Progressives Congress (APC) or Labour Party has been speculated.
Fayose made this known while addressing key members of the party in Ado Ekiti on Monday.
According to him, his support for the Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State will never affect his loyalty to PDP and its presidential candidate Abubakar.
The New Diplomat reports that Fayose’s statement comes in contrast with his earlier statement made on Twitter. The former governor had declared his support for a southerner to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
Fayose in the Twitter post had said the south should produce the next president in a bid to allow for equity and fairness.
“The PDP Constitution provides for a rotational Presidency. Section 3(c) provides that the Party shall pursue its aims & objectives by adhering to the policy of the rotation & zoning of the party & public elective offices in pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness.
“The current President of Nigeria is a 2-term Northern Presidency, thus implying that it must be a Southern Presidency in 2023 or NOTHING. Awa ‘South’ lo kan’.”
The former governor asked Nigerians to “await details soon.” Fayose had tweeted.
With the latest statement, Fayose has confirmed that he will work with Atiku to deliver success for the PDP in 2023.
He added that despite the internal crisis bedevilling the PDP, he remains committed to the party.
In his words, “A lot has been said, but like I have said many times, let me state it here expressly again that I will never join APC for whatever reason.
“In all the issues we are having as a party, no one has said that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is not our presidential candidate. No one has said too that Dr Ifeanyi Okowa is not our party’s vice presidential candidate.
“Also, we have Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates here. Among them are my biological son, Joju, and others who are my political sons and daughters. My interest is that all these candidates should win elections.
“Therefore, I am appealing to those who are angry to stop being angry. Those who are fighting should stop fighting. Let us face the 2023 elections together and win first. After that, we can resume the fight.
“Even though we lost, I am still grateful to the party for the opportunity and I wish to urge all the party stakeholders to close ranks so that together, we will rise again,” he said.
