I believe presidential election was free and fair, says Fayose

Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti, says the presidential election was free and fair.

In a statement issued on Friday, Fayose said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not win the election because its members were not united.

The former governor said he is still a member of the opposition party but only stepped aside to “speak truth to power”.

“I am still a bonafide member of the PDP.  I only said I stepped aside because I need to speak the truth to power without the fear of my view being tainted by party colouration,” the statement reads.

“Resigning from a political party has a procedure and the same will be followed if I strongly find the need to leave the party.

“It is important that we have somebody that can say the truth without wearing any party toga.

“I am a member of the PDP, a member of the PDP NEC, a member of the party caucus, member of the board of trustees based on my position as a former chairman of the PDP governors’ forum. It’s a lifetime membership. But Nigeria is bigger than any party.

“I am not a member of the APC and will never be a member of the party. I have never hidden my respect for Tinubu.

“Notwithstanding, I believe that the 2023 presidential election is free and fair and I am entitled to my views.

“I am not interested in contesting for any political position again in my life. What am I going to contest for at 62?

“Even if I want to contest not under APC. I have said it repeatedly that I can never join APC and I am still saying it now.

“But I need to emphasise that Nigeria needs somebody who will say the truth at this critical period in our history.

“Again, may I conclude here that Peter Obi is the man of the season. Asiwaju won the election, but PDP was too fractured to win an election at the federal level.

“However, at the state level elections are local, please continue to vote and support the PDP, especially in the governorship and houses of assembly elections.”

Fayose’s position is at odds with that of the PDP.

The opposition party has rejected the election and vowed to challenge it in court.