– He’s only seeking attention – Makinde
FORMER Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, on Thursday, said Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; and former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bode George, masterminded the humiliation he suffered at the grand finale of PDP’s Ondo State governorship campaign rally.
An unidentified “thug” had moved close to Fayose as he moved towards the podium and removed his cap at the rally, which took place in Ondo town on Wednesday.
The video of the act was circulated widely on Wednesday night.
Though eyewitnesses told The Point that another person, who appeared to be a Fayose supporter, lifted the attacker off the ground and took him away from the scene to deal with him, the insult had already been registered against the outspoken PDP chieftain.
Leaders of the party and other supporters, The Point learnt, later persuaded Fayose to put the incident behind him and stay for the rally.
The former governor’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, however, said his principal would not be deterred by the incident and would continue to tell the truth as regards the running of the party in the South West.
“Despite the shameful act, he won’t stop saying the truth concerning the running of the party in the Southwest zone. Those who have failed to produce any result in Lagos State since 1999 will be made to retire,” he stressed.
The media aide noted that the occurrence would not be allowed to pass without calling the attention of security agencies, adding that they must unveil the sponsors of the thugs.
He said, “That was how late Chief Bola Ige’s cap was removed in Ile Ife, Osun State then and we all know what happened later. This one will not be ignored and treated as one of those things.
“The masterminds had it all planned and they followed it up by celebrating what they saw as the success of their plot. They even capped it up by circulating the video. So it was not an accident, it was planned.
“But those who planned it only succeeded in advertising their ‘political myopism’ because the popularity of the brand Ayo Fayose, Osokomole cannot be rubbished by such childish act.”
“I am unperturbed and I must say it clearly that those newcomers to the PDP and their old allies, who won’t mind spoiling the image of the party to achieve their aims, will not be allowed to succeed,” he added.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Oyo State Governor, Taiwo Adisa, has however reacted to Fayose’s claim, saying he is merely seeking attention.
He said, “I believe that ex-governor Fayose and his handlers need to look far away from Oyo State in search of their enemies.
“Governor Makinde has no link whatsoever with the incident Fayose’s aide was talking about.
“We expect all right-thinking members of the PDP to join the Governor of Oyo State in the prosecution of the noble and democratic assignment he is executing on behalf of the PDP in Ondo State at this time, instead of seeking to distract him one way or the other.
“The governor will, however, not be distracted either on the task at hand or on the well-intentioned desire to join other leaders to rebuild the PDP in the southwest geopolitical zone.”
Fayose had a few days ago attacked the former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Bode George, saying the PDP would not win elections in Lagos State if he was not retired.
