by Emeka Nwankwo

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Osun State Governor, has advised his Ekiti state counterpart, Ayodele Fayose, to face the reality that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is dead as a political party in the country.

Aregbesola stated this when he was paid a courtesy visit by Fayose. This is the first visit of Gov. Fayose to any APC state since winning the Ekiti state governorship election.

Aregbesola, who described Fayose’s visit as an expression of maturity, also stated that he is not asking Fayose to leave his party –the PDP- rather, he is advising him (Fayose) to collaborate with a political party that will give Nigerians hope.

However, Governor Fayose stated that his visited to Osun was not for a political reason but to seek a way forward for the Yoruba race and unity. He also said that he is not abandoning the PDP for APC.

Aregbesola stated that: “Osoko has said that he is not going to leave his party, but the reality today is that PDP has served its term in Nigeria. When a horse is dead, it is either you abandon it or you bury it.

“I want my good friend and brother to know that PDP has exhausted it’s stay in Nigeria, it can no longer be revived, let us look at a political party that will give hope to our people. Opposition must be for a purpose, I stand by you on the unity of Yoruba land and that our leaders not put down in the country.

“The war is over; we are in a season of mobilising our people to agriculture and produce such that we will economically have the strength to give leadership to the Nation and Africa. Our energy must be directed at bringing human and physical development, we have enough in this region to give leadership”.

He also praised Fayose efforts to unite and move the people of the southwest towards development and also assured Fayose of his support.

The Osun Governor also decried the present economic hardship in the country and also remarked that Nigeria was losing 75 percent of her income to oil glut.

“The country is facing a very serious crises with the rate at which the crude oil price is falling. There is an invasion on the economy to the level that we are loosing 75 percent of our income which is not good.

“At this point, wise people must have an alternative to oil which part of it is your visit. We must use our culture and affinity to form a bond that can make our people live a normal life, it is a duty that we owe our people, States and Nigeria as a whole”.

Governor Fayose, on his part, said that he was not in Osun to ask Aregbesola to plead his case with President Muhammadu Buhari, instead he was in Osogbo to seek the progress of Yoruba people.

He also pointed out that the Ooni of Ife’s visit to the 45th coronation of the Alafin of Oyo is a good precedent and also proves that it’s high time the Yoruba people recognised the need for the development of the race.

“This is my first official visit to any APC state in Nigeria. I am not in Osogbo to ask Aregbesola to help me beg as being speculated in some quarters. We are all Yoruba, politics is like water, and it can flow anywhere.

“I believe in the Yoruba race, the race comes first before the office of the governor. The race is eternal while that of governor is momentary. We must watch today to be guided by tomorrow. I am here for the unity of Yoruba as it affects the Oodua, the progenitor” Fayose stated.