Babafemi Ojudu

Babafemi Ojudu

My attention has been drawn to a release issued by Gov. Ayodele Fayose and his version of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, signed by one Jackson Adebayo who addressed himself as the State Publicity Secretary.

Ordinarily, I would have waived off the lie told against my person as one of the cheap propagandas spewed by Fayose’s goons in the attempt to save the drowning man. He has done this against all his real and perceived enemies and Ojudu-bashing has been one of his straw. Having used Lere Olayinka and drained him of every iota of truth, he has now descended on the so called Jackson Adebayo.

However, considering the situation faced by my people in Ekiti and at a time like this, when hunger is the only thing Fayose as a governor can dish out to them as he steals their money blindly, I consider it my responsibility to respond to the mischievous missive. And in doing so, I believe that my people will be better informed.

First let me state correctly that the parameters for accessing a bailout or any other federal government’s largesse is the same for all states of the federation and no single person, no matter how highly placed, can doctor that of any state to score any cheap political point.

Secondly, as the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, I am not in the economic team of Mr. President, and as such have no input in the allocations going to any state, be it that of monthly or bailout. I am simply an adviser on political matters.

Thirdly, the only person saddled with the responsibility of claiming whatever rightly belongs to a state is the governor of the state. No other person can influence or dissuade government from granting it.

Fourthly, it will be foolhardy of anyone to block the benefits accrued to his home state in the name of playing politics. President Muhammadu Buhari or Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will neither respect such opinion nor the person coming up with it.

Fifthly, assuming that I have the privilege of influencing the bailout or meeting the set parameters, I would use such influence to favour my home state, considering the fact that I also have relatives and loved ones among the workers, both at the state and local level, suffering under Fayose’s misgovernance.

Having listed all the incontrovertible facts above, I would still want to ask Fayose and his PDP goons to make public the said petition allegedly written to Mr. President by the All Progressives Congress (APC), begging him to marginalise Ekiti from benefitting out of the bailout. I will also ask Fayose to make public the efforts he is making so far to meet the parameters set for accessing the bailout.

Ekiti workers have never had it this worse under any state government. They are now wiser, they can no longer be swooned by Fayose’s pranks. They know they are in a one-chance bus and they don’t need anyone to tell them to alight whenever they have the opportunity of doing so.

Sen. Babafemi Ojudu,Is the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters