20th January, 2015
Jamiu Yisa
Nigerians have expressed outrage against Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose’s advert on the front page of national newspapers suggesting that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Muhammadu Buhari, will die in office if elected president on 14 February.
The advert placed on selected newspapers, has the pictures of past Nigerian leaders who died in office; Murtala Muhammed, Sani Abacha, Umaru Yar’Adua with the picture of Buhari placed beside the pictures of the late leaders and a huge question mark over it.
The advert which was accompanied by excerpt from the Bible book of Deuteronomy 30 verse 19, asked its readers: “Will you allow history to repeat itself? Enough of State burials.”
“Nigerians be warned! Nigeria…I have set before thee Life and death. Therefore, choose life that both thee and thy seed may live,” it said, suggesting that Mr. Buhari represents death while his rival, President Goodluck Jonathan represents life.
The advert which went viral on social media was condemned by both supporters of Buhari and President Goodluck Jonathan, with many people asking the president to dissociate himself from it.
Ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo while reacting to advert on twitter via @SegunObasanjo described Fayose as nothing but a celebrated hooligan, adding that his offensive advert should provoke and strengthen Nigerians to vote for change
“Nigerians were critisizing me when I called Ayo Fayose a bastard. I’m now fully convinced that a man that mocks our past heroes is a bastard
“Ayo Fayose mocked the death of our great past heroes. This is too much of politics to play. I hope Nigerians now know the right camp to vote
“Ayo Fayose is nothing but a celebrated hooligan. His offensive advert should provoke and strengthen Nigerians to vote for #CHANGE.
“My sincere condolences goes to the people of Ekiti State because they’re being led by a senseless and incorrigible Governor.
“#ForwardNigeria Is what they’re preaching, but they are mocking our heroes PAST! This is so uncalled-for. I’ll rather succumb to #CHANGE,” Obasanjo tweeted.
The Publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu via his twitter handle @Delemomodu, tweeted thus:”In d spirit of peace accord signed by the Presidential candidates, I plead with President Jonathan to distance himself from Fayose’s hocus-locus!
“If the advert credited to Ayo Fayose is true then Nigeria is in bigger trouble than I thought; only God holds the power of life and death!
“Playing the game of death is the most despicable act that any leader can play less than one month to election and it must be condemned!
“In fact, Ayo Fayose’s distasteful advert should re-energise and provoke Nigerians into voting these crude elements out of power urgently!
“This Fayose ad has done monumental damage to the Jonathan campaign; it is the last straw to PDP’s campaign of calumny against Buhari.”
Former acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and now an APC chieftain in Kwara State, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, described Fayose’s advert as “distasteful”.
He said that the advertorial was capable of causing anarchy in the country, adding that he had expected that Fayose would be more careful and outgrow “his carelessness and irresponsible motor park attitude which is not expected of a governor”.
Baraje lamented that “the failure of President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the PDP to distance themselves from such comments and call Fayose to order is a direct indication that they were in support of the Ekiti State governor making a mockery of the dead and trying to play God as only Allah is the one that knows the time of the passing of any individual.”
The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organization while reacting to the publication, advised President Jonathan and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, to take charge of their re-election campaign before their surrogates plunge Nigeria into anarchy.
The Director of Media and Publicity of the campaign, Mallam Garba Shehu in a statement made available to the media, said, “This is the height of desperate tactics by the PDP, which is capable of degenerating into unnecessary bloodshed and destruction. They are choosing death for us. This is not politics. We are therefore, asking our supporters to stay calm and be law-abiding.
“Even as a candidate, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has a duty to lead the country with responsibility up until May 29, when a new President will be inaugurated.”
According to the statement, taken in its ordinary meaning, the APC alleged that the on-going campaign on Buhari’s health, using forged medical reports, and now suggestions of death are reeking of plots to eliminate him (Buhari) before or after he wins.
The statement warned that “The whole world is watching and that if anything happens to General Muhammadu Buhari before, during or after the elections, under the pretext of X, Y, or Z, we shall be left with no option than to conclude that the PDP and their surrogates are to be held accountable.”
The campaign appealed to all APC members and millions of supporters of Buhari across the country not to play into the hands of the PDP hatchet men to be provoked and thereby, giving them the much-needed excuse to abort this democracy before or after the elections.
Shehu said the APC campaign remains faithfully committed to the peace accord signed by the country’s political parties under the auspices of Ambassador Kofi Annan.
He, however, alleged that the PDP is paying lip service to this commitment by trying to stoke the embers of hate and smear campaign, which he said is inconsistent with the commitment to peace.
The statement also advised the police, the SSS, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the advertising regulatory agency in Nigeria, to do their jobs by not allowing these dangerous threats to democracy go unchecked.
Meanwhile, the APC Campaign said that petitions are being sent to Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, INEC, DSS, Nigeria Police and concerned newspapers involved to protest the malicious death wish.
In spite of the outrage that greeted his repulsive advert on the front page of newspapers, Governor Fayose remained adamant on his prediction on the lifetime of Buhari.
Speaking on Ekiti State owned television station on Monday, Fayose said he had no regrets placing the advert.
He further said he was sure that Buhari cannot live up to 75 years.