From Segun Amure, (The New Diplomat’s Abuja Bureau)
Ekiti State former governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Sunday advised those calling for the arrest of O’odua Activist, Sunday Igboho to jettison such thoughts and think of how he can be used to restore peace in the Southwest.
Fayose who spoke on Channels TV, Sunday, stated that Igboho’s activism should be positively used to achieve peaceful co-existence amidst ethno-tribal rhetorics that have plagued the country in recent days.
According to Fayose, “the situation we have at hand now calls for everyone to come to a round table and appeal to their people.”
“Sunday Igboho might not be the best of persons but the fact remains that when crises come, they come from the lower cadre of the society and people like him are the ones that can talk to the people. Big men stay in their houses and will send people out to go and resolve it.
“My appeal is that Igboho no matter how stupid or how you perceived him, must be brought and used positively in the resolution of this crisis.”
Reacting to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s handling of the Igangan and Sasha mayhem crises, Fayose emphasized that Gov. Makinde must be proactive and employ conflict resolution skills in restoring peace to Oyo state.
“Governor Makinde needs to be more proactive, Oyo state is a big state. Look at what happened in Igangan, when a similar incident happened in Ekiti, I was there that same day. I took charge of that community. I slept in that community. And immediately they mentioned names of people responsible, instead of fighting them, I brought them to the round table, and this I have told Governor Makinde. I sat him down.”
On rumoured defection of the former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani Kayode to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Fayose said the Ile-Ife-born politician is going nowhere.
Fayose further said that anyone who leaves PDP for APC at this time is taken up in his own covetousness.
The two term governor of Ekiti State stated that the PDP has given him all that he wanted since becoming a governor at the age of 42.
