Funny thing. After reading the latest antics of Governor Ayo Fayose in China, studying the infantile photos that his aides put out to deceive the public and the ill-advised unconstitutional letter that he caused his staff to submit to the Chinese Embassy, my Governor in Abia state suddenly started looking like a knight in shinning amour in my eyes.
Now, Nigerians have pretty much gotten used to Fayose’s numerous antics – eating amala with plebeians, buying pomo in the marketplace, pricing roasted corn by the roadside, checking out unripe pears from a young lady whose natural twin pears seem to be the major attraction, throwing inscrutable tantrums every now and then, prostrating flat in church in full camera view, kneeling in the public to deliver a most incoherent 15 minutes prayer, making anti democratic threats and allegations, non of which he follows through with.
That is the quintessential Fayose Nigerians have come to know and live with – all huff, puff and show. Big on drama and ceremony but no governance. No leadership. And regrettably, it now appears, he and his aides also have no smarts.
When it was that former President Ibrahim Babangida recently made the comment that he felt very sad for the good people of Ekiti state because they clearly deserved far better than Fayose, many probably did not really appreciate the full weight of that comment. But, it seems to me that this latest international show of shame by Governor Fayose may have finally put things in perspective for more than a few Nigerians.
It will be extremely ridiculous if Baba Sala was the one accused of this kindergarten attempt to pose for photos at an airport and try to pass them off as an official event where he was addressing investors, but it is simply disgraceful and distressful to think that this is a ‘bright’ idea from a sitting Governor of a state.
The reality is that any joker can rig their way to power and public office but leadership and governance skills cannot be rigged. They cannot be bought or faked. You either have them or you don’t. And clearly, Nigerians, sorry, the whole world can now see that Governor Ayo Fayose is an excellent case of the empty vessel that makes the loudest noise.
If this is the man that is leading the charge for the PDP, then 2019 will be a gift to the APC. Nigeria deserves a strong and vibrant opposition party and PDP is the best hope of having that. But with men like Ayo Fayose roaming the streets as the face of the ‘rebranded’ PDP, methinks the PDP will suffer an even worse defeat in 2019. Fortunately, there is still time for the PDP to suture the bleeding so that we can still continue to hope that….A New Nigeria is Possible.
