Fayose: I operate like the biblical Elisha… I’m not a general without an army

Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, says he is not a “general without an army”, and that he operates like Elisha, one of the prophets in the Bible.

Speaking on reactions to his consideration of leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the next election year in Ekiti, Fayose said even if he makes up his mind to leave, he will not jump into the red sea  by joining the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He boasted that he would give the APC “16-0” in the 2018 election, just like he did by winning in all the local government areas of the state during the last governorship poll.

He was speaking at the palace of Rufus Adejugbe, ewi of Ado Ekiti, where the Ado Progressive Union conferred a honour on him.

“I will never dump PDP for APC. I remain strong and unshaken for the PDP. I can’t jump the boat; even if I want to jump, I won’t jump into the red sea,” he said.

“Why should I leave the PDP and join a party of hunger like APC? Ekiti is different from Ondo. By the grace of God, there will be a repeat of history here in 2018; I shall repeat the 16-0 that I gave them in 2014.

“I operate like the biblical Elisha because those with us are greater than theirs. The God of Israel that conquered Philistines shall be on our side… I am not a general without an army.”

Fayose explained that the outcome of the Ondo state governorship election made him speak in such manner.

He said though he is not the type who betrays people, if the PDP does not resolve its internal crisis before 2018, he would seek a credible platform.

“You don’t just walk out of relationships just like that. Nigerians have a lot of respect for me and my voice. This I cannot trade for a piece of morsel like the biblical Esau,” he said.

“What I said is that if the current man-made crisis rocking the PDP persists till 2018, rather than allow them mess us up like they did in Ondo, we may have to seek an alternative and credible platform.

“We are not people who betray the confidence of our people. If there will be change at all, it will not be spur-of-the-moment. We shall carry our leaders and the people along.

“All men and women of goodwill, backed up by God will, in the fullness of time, roll back and roll away those oppressive, repressive, and satanic forces; their sinister motives and anti-people agenda will be quashed in Nigeria.”

Fayose said what happened in Ondo “cannot repeat itself in Ekiti”, adding that if the federal government “brings all the funds in treasury single account (TSA) to the state”, they will be disappointed.

“I want to say categorically that the shenanigans of Ondo governorship elections cannot be repeated in Ekiti; they delude themselves if they think they can,” he said.

“I want to also assure them that even if they bring all the funds in Treasury Single Account (TSA) to Ekiti in 2018, supported by all the machinery the presidency can muster, they will be treated like the Philistines and Egyptians of the Bible. I am the Biblical Israel that has never and can never be defeated.

“The fact that they rigged PDP out of Ondo state does not mean that they won the hearts of the people.”