Fayose asks Ooni, others to defend Tinubu, Falae

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose

By Punchngr

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has appealed to all the monarchs in Yoruba land to promote unity and defend political leaders against external aggressors.

He also urged the Federal Government to review its policies because of massive hunger in the land.

The governor spoke in Ado Ekiti on Thursday while receiving the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, at the palace of the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe.

Fayose specifically appealed to Yoruba kings to ensure that no harm should befall a former Lagos Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, and other leaders of the Yoruba race.

Tinubu is believed to have fallen out of favour with President Muhammad Buhari while Falae is under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly receiving part of the missing security funds from a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

Fayose said, “You (Ooni) are in a good position to unite us. We want to appeal to you to remember that we all belong to you, irrespective of political parties.

“That was why I said without apologies that an action against Ahmed Tinubu is an action against the Yoruba nation.

“We must defend the Yoruba nation. They are encroaching. They are harassing; they are depriving us of our legitimate rights. Those who toiled day and night are now victims of circumstances.

“Nothing must happen to Tinubu, Falae and others. This is the way they started with (Obafemi) Awolowo and (Pa Michael) Ajasin,” he cautioned.

Fayose said the effort of the Ooni to unite the Yoruba had started yielding results, urging him to sustain it.

He advised Yoruba leaders to avoid a situation that led to the rivalry between Awolowo and the late Samuel Akintola in the western region.

The governor lamented that there was hunger in the land and he appealed to the Federal Government to evolve policies that would change things for the better.

He also condemned the activities of herdsmen that were destroying farm produce across the country.

“They asked us to go back to farming and they released their cows to be eating our farms. Any cattle that destroy farmlands will be seized by the government,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ogunwusi has called for tact in the handling of the threat posed by herdsmen across the country, especially in the South-West region of the country.

Speaking with journalists, Ooni, who said Ekiti had the power to enact laws, called for a careful handling of the threat posed by herdsmen.

He said he was impressed by the thousands of people that trooped out to receive him and he called for prayers for the governor.

Adejugbe expressed joy at the visit even as he recalled that two departed Oonis, Oba Adesoji Aderemi and Oba Okunade Sijuwade, visited the Ewi in 1937 and 1980 respectively.

He charged the Ooni to continue to unite Yoruba monarchs and sustain the growing unity among Yoruba people.