Bury hope of return to power, you’ll spend above 16 years as opposition, ex-Gov Oni tells PDP

A chieftain of the All Progressives Progress and former Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Segun Oni, has called on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to bury the idea of returning to power soon.

He stated that the party will spend more years as an opposition than the 16 years it ruled Nigeria.
Oni who himself was governor under the PDP platform, but later defected to the now ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) said, “Let me say this, the PDP that is boasting now, will spend more years as an opposition than they rule Nigeria. But if they win in Ekiti or Osun, they will have opportunity to begin to brag that the APC is no longer a popular candidate.”

The former governor also described his state’s incumbent governor Ayodele Fayose as a joker for asking President Muhammadu Buhari to resign owing to the fuel scarcity being experienced across the nation.

According to Oni, Fayose asking Buhari to resign “Is like someone calling for his (Fayose) resignation over the level of hunger in Ekiti, because the governor’s stomach infrastructure policy has failed to fill the stomachs of over 80 per cent of our people.”

Oni made these comments when he spoke at the end of the year party organized for the APC members in Ifaki Ekiti on Wednesday, where he also cautioned that the APC may end up losing Ekiti governorship election in 2018 if a popular candidate is not elected as the party candidate.

He said APC delegates “shouldn’t turn profiteers because they have two options to make, which is either take money from politicians and get temporary relief or vote for the right candidate to win the general elections, so that the APC can control both the state and the federal for more dividends of democracy to come to our members”.

Oni called on Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee of the party to see that what will be paramount ahead Ekiti state governorship election in 2018 should be getting a credible candidate that can win election.

While he asked those,who according to him are ‘weak aspirants’, to weigh the options and step down for formidable aspirants in order to streamline the number of those vying for the position to a manageable number, Oni said that he expects a free, fair and credible primary from the APC.

READ ALSO: FUEL SUBSIDY: You’re a pastor, stop deceiving Nigerians, Fayose tells Osinbajo

He further said that the election will not create enmity between him and Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who is being rumoured to be interested in the race.

He added, “Though, there is hunger in town but we must do the right thing. The highest bidder will bring his money, yes you can collect it and still go ahead and vote for a candidate that can win for us.

“Ekiti election is very critical to APC. It is critical to our election in Osun State and the two elections are critical to 2019, because we have to win again. I want to say that I won’t leave the party even if I am not picked as a loyal party man”.

On Fayose’s call for Buhari resignation he said, “I want to believe that our governor didn’t mean what he said, he was just joking. I know that the NNPC and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources are addressing this issue. It is a general problem and it is regrettable but the main problem causing this scarcity is hoarding.

“Governor Fayose is operating stomach infrastructure, how would he feel if he is asked to resign on account that many people have not eaten from the rice being distributed under this policy. So, I see this as a mere joke”.

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