Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti, says he will not drop his presidential ambition for any politician in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Fayose spoke on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television.
Speaking during the programme, the former Ekiti governor said he has purchased the nomination form to contest for the PDP presidential ticket, adding that the PDP must zone its ticket to the south.
“I don’t believe in not zoning this presidential ticket. I was a member of the zoning committee except for the last day that I picked up my form,” he said.
“All they said was ‘because the party ought to have started the process a long time, for reasons on the fact that some people have bought forms, maybe the party can find a way to work around consensus’. They never made that statement (on throwing the presidential ticket open).
“Let me say to you, the only solution is zoning. The north can’t contest the last primary — the one we had in Port Harcourt which was an all northern affair — and come and tell us that there won’t be southern affair.”
The former governor, however, said he will only accept the consensus option if he is nominated as the consensus presidential candidate.
“I saw the people going around for consensus. Who will step down for who? You asked me to step down? I won’t step down,” he said.
“They said they want all of us to come and do consensus. I don’t know about them. I have taken my form today. I am not going to step down.
“Who knows if it is me that Nigerians want to vote for? Do you know the mind of Nigerians? Do you know who they want? Any meeting or anywhere they talk about consensus, as good as that language looks, it is undemocratic.”
Asked if he has what it takes to win the 2023 presidential election for the PDP, Fayose said he has the “street credibility” to win the poll.
“It is Nigerians that will determine who will win the election. How did I win in Ekiti as a two-term governor, defeating two incumbents? Life starts from somewhere,” he added.
“If I do not matter, why did you bring me here? Nigerians love me. I purposely went there to get this form. I will start to go to states to let them know. I am prepared for this onslaught. I’m going to contest this election.”
