Fayose celebrates Tambuwal's electoral misfortune

A former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has expressed satisfaction over the loss of Sokoto State by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate, Sa’idu Umar.

Mr Umar was anointed by Aminu Tambuwal, the incumbent governor of the state.

Mr Tambuwal’s bid to go to the senate is still hanging in the balance as as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Sokoto South senatorial zone election inconclusive.

Sokoto South senatorial zone was declared inconclusive with Mr Tambuwal leading with 87,850 while incumbent senator, Ibrahim Danbaba of the APC trails with 79,991.

The election was declared inconclusive by INEC after the district’s collation officer, Shehu Gulumbe, reported cases of over voting and violence leading to disruption of voting at some polling units in the district.

In a one minute, 11 seconds video, Mr Fayose was heard lambasting Mr Tambuwal.

He said Mr Tambuwal betrayed the PDP in 2015.

“Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Ayo Fayose. You know me and I know you. I’m so excited… celebrating the victory of the PDP and my friends in the APC. All of you have (sic) won your elections, congratulations. We wish you very (sic)happy happy tenure.

“But let me quickly say this; I’m so excited particularly by the loss of Governor Tambuwal’s candidate in Sokoto. You see, when a man is a traitor, there is a pay back time. He betrayed the party in 2015. He ran back. He betrayed the Asiwaju (President elect Bola Tinubu) he went to meet in APC. He betrayed Wike (Rivers state governor Neysom Wike) that sponsored him in 2019. This is payback time and I appreciate the people of Sokoto for voting against Tambuwal. And I enjoy you again to vote against him in the senate rerun.

“You see, you’re wonderful people and God rules in the affairs of men. It’s time to pop champagne. Tambuwal is gone,” Mr Fayose, who sat on a bed holding a glass cup, said.

Beside him on the bed was a tray with two bottles of wine. He poured the champagne into the a half full glass cup.

Mr Fayose was referring to Mr Tambuwal’s exit from the PDP in 2014 when then President Goodluck Jonathan contested against the wishes of several northern Nigeria leaders in the PDP.

Five PDP governors as well Mr Tambuwal who was the speaker of the House of Representatives and Bukola Saraki, a former Senate President, dumbed the PDP. They joined the then newly formed All Progressive Congress (APC).

His reference to Mr Tambuwal betraying Mr Tinubu is obviously how, after the APC won the election at the federal level and Mr Tambuwal got elected in Sokoto as governor, he decided to return to the PDP in 2018.

Mr Tambuwal was also rumoured to have been sponsored by Mr Wike in his efforts to clinch the party’s presidential ticket in 2019 but lost to Atiku Abubakar.

In the 2022 primaries however, Mr Wike and other PDP members siding with the Rivers State governor were expecting Mr Tambuwal to support Mr Wike to get the presidential ticket.

But when Mr Tambuwal mounted the podium and announced his was stepping down from the contest, and asked his supporters to vote for Mr Atiku.