Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, has exonerated President Muhammadu Buhari in the attempt of lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the fourth assembly of the state parliament to oust him from office. Speaking on Friday during the inauguration of the fifth assembly, Fayose described the development as a distraction, saying he was able to survive the plot through the support of the people. “God did not allow them to prevail. They don’t know that they are making me popular,” he said. “The more you write about me, you are making me popular. People notice it that every day, they were writing inside the paper, every day they will put it in front page of [the papers]. Fayose went, went for what? Every time attacking; the Lord has made me a light in the midst of darkness. “Let me tell you that this is not about me, it is about you. You put me here and if you cannot remove God, you cannot remove me. Before you can remove me, you must remove God. “I am your boy boy in Ekiti state; what is the meaning of governor? A governor that cannot help his people, what is the meaning of a governor that is not popular, that cannot go to the market place? I am a local politician. “What is their problem? Jonathan handed over a Nigeria with true democracy, where are they starting from? They went over publishing different things, saying Buhari said this and that but through security information, I confirmed that Buhari had no hand in it.” He urged the members of the newly inaugurated assembly to be humble in their approach to their legislative assignments, adding that “only humility can make one win battles”. “I plead with you our new honourable members, always remember that whatever you do today will become history. Do not disappoint the people that voted you in,” he added. “This is the right time for Nigeria, particularly a time for hardship but we have to endure the spirit so that we can prosper. I’m thankful because we overcame and we shall overcome again. “Mr. Speaker sir, you are the first among equals. But humility will lead you to win more battles. God did not give them [victory], they have to wait for their turn. I say they should wait for their turn. I’m sure they will all know that any attack on individual is an attack on Fayose.” The governor, who rode to the assembly on a motorcycle, was accompanied by his wife and Kolapo Olusola, his deputy. Kolawole Oluwawole of Moba 11 constituency and former chief of staff to Fayose in his first tenure (2003) emerged as new speaker of the house, while Mayowa Adewumi of Ekiti west 1 was elected his deputy. The assembly immediately passed the bill for the reconstitution of the 16 local government transition committees and this was done unanimously.
