Members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are still basking in the euphoria of the victory of Ayo Fayose in the Ekiti governorship election last weekend. The victory has re-launched PDP in the South West region ahead of the 2015 general election. A chieftain of the party, Senator Ayo Arise, who is representing Ekiti North Senatorial district in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, is optimistic that the victory of Fayose is a signal that the opposition All Progressives Congress will soon be sent packing from the region. MIKE ODIAKOSE report that Arise listed Lagos as one of the South West states that the PDP will clinch in 2015. Excerpts:
What in your view accounted for Fayose’s victory?
Oh! Fayose won this election a long time ago. It was only the incumbent and his supporters that did not realise that. I was so sure and precise, I made it clear before now that Fayemi was going to lose so badly that he would also lose his Local Government Area; his Local Government of Oye, where I happen to come from. And I also predicted that in respect of the wards and it came to pass that the governor lost his Ward including his home town of Isan.
What happened is that Ekiti people voted for the man that was so loved by the grassroot people, Ayo Fayose, now the Governor-elect. Of course, our efforts as leaders in our respective communities complimented the popularity of the candidate. I have never seen anything like that even though I knew I was going to deliver Oye Local government from the onset. The governor has never demonstrated capacity to be able to defeat me there. And that is supposed to be his strongest base. So that gave me the courage to be able to predict the landslide victory for Fayose. And more so, Fayemi is not really a politician per se. And what interest the people is indeed very different from the interest of his government. So, Ekiti people expressed their wish very loud and clear, that this is the best election to be held anywhere in the country.
I am happy that Fayemi came out to borrow a leaf from what I did when I lost an election to the Senate in 2011. So I was excited when Fayemi did the same thing by congratulating Fayose. Of course, mine did not attract so much attention because it was not a governorship election. But it was the first example of the demonstration of good sportsmanship. That is the way we expect politics to be played in this country. It demonstrated clearly the qualities of an Ekiti man.
What role do you think the conduct of the governorship primary election play in the victory of PDP?
Yes, the party allowed people to express their wishes through the primaries. Earlier before the primary election, people canvassed for Consensus including myself. But the moment Fayose won that primary election, I called him and told him that you know I promised you that if you win that primary election, I would support you. So I did. And of course, my mentor, the Senate President spoke to me and I listened to him.
When people started calling me to say Oooooh! You are supporting Fayose, I said, look, this is the reality. Fayose is the man on ground! So, why should I be standing against the will of the people, when anytime I go to them, they will still be the one to decide my fate. In politics, it is people that vote. It is not the certificates. And Ekiti people have spoken and they have spoken well.
With the coming into power of PDP in Ekiti State, what do you make of the future of the APC in the South West?
Yes! We have put a very big hole in their pocket. They have about four more States now in the South West. I can comfortably say that at least we will take three more. That is the very minimum we will take. That is if we do not take all. We are constantly receiving requests for changes in the governance of virtually all the States in the South West.
Tinubu and his party have ruled for about 16 years. The people are now saying that it is about time we moved to test new hands. I know that if we get our candidates right in the PDP, we will probably take Lagos State.
But your critics believe that Ekiti was an exception because the experience would not be repeated in any other South West State.
That is not the point at all. If I had spoken with you two weeks before the election, you would have said PDP would not win in Ekiti State. We are the one on ground. We are always with the people. We are the ones working. The point must be understood that yes, people love Fayose. But if he did not have some people around that he could entrust with the message to the people, he might have little problems. Now men of Fayemi, who are supposed to be playing well on the ground, were not there. And that can happen to anybody.