OSUN POLL: FAYOSE SAYS TINUBU WAS MAGNANIMOUS, RECALLS 2018 EKITI ELECTION
Read Time:2 Minute, 37 Second
By; Sunmola Ganiyat
Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has described President Bola Tinubu as “magnanimous” over the conduct of the August 15 Osun State governorship election, saying the Federal Government could have influenced the outcome if it had wanted to.
Fayose also alleged that the Federal Government used its influence against him during the 2018 Ekiti governorship election, claiming that the state was “taken” from him through federal intervention.
The former governor made the remarks on Tuesday during an interview on TVC News, while reacting to comments by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that he could have helped Tinubu secure victory for the All Progressives Congress in Osun if the President wanted to win “at all costs.”
The Accord candidate and incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, won the Osun election with 511,067 votes, defeating APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes. African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam came third with 17,180 votes.
Adeleke won in 19 local government areas, while Oyebamiji secured victory in the remaining 11.
Commenting on the close contest, Fayose said the result showed that the election could have gone either way. He also urged Adeleke to be “magnanimous in victory.”
Fayose said the Federal Government had the capacity to influence an election if it chose to do so, citing his experience during the 2018 Ekiti governorship poll.
“Ekiti was taken from me in 2018. By all means possible. Those features did not play out in Ede,” he said.
He alleged that security operatives restricted his movement in the days leading to the 2018 election, claiming that his security details were withdrawn and taken to the police headquarters in Ado Ekiti.
Fayose further alleged that he was prevented from leaving the Government House and assaulted when he attempted to come out.
He said the incident resulted in serious injuries that required medical treatment, including four surgical procedures.
However, Fayose praised Tinubu for what he described as a different approach to elections, saying the President had demonstrated that it was possible for votes to count in Nigeria.
“If not for Tinubu, who has been very magnanimous in his actions, what would be the way to talk to him on social media? Have you seen him going after anybody to arrest them?” he asked.
According to Fayose, the appointments of the INEC chairman, Inspector-General of Police and Chief of Army Staff by Tinubu did not necessarily mean the President would deploy the institutions to manipulate elections.
He said the conduct of the President, rather than the identities of those appointed to key positions, would determine how the institutions operate during elections.
Fayose also dismissed suggestions that his support for Tinubu and his recent appointment as chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency board indicated plans to defect to the APC.
He said his support for the administration was driven by a desire to contribute to national development rather than personal political interests.
Fayose added that he had maintained a longstanding relationship with Tinubu despite belonging to different political parties, stressing that his new role was an opportunity to serve and make a positive impact.
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