Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has said he will not commit suicide to protest President Muhammadu Buhari’s return from his 103-day medical vacation in the United Kingdom (UK).
The governor was reacting to claims by the opposition that he pledged to commit suicide, if Buhari returned alive from his medical leave.
He said the alleged statement came from those he called “miscreants from the social media”.
Fayose spoke yesterday at the Government House in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, at an interactive session with political office holders in his administration.
The governor claimed his alarm that President Buhari was in coma prompted his “quick return” from the UK.
Denying promising to commit suicide, Fayose said: “How can I commit suicide because of an old man? Such was from miscreants on the social media. Let me tell you expressly: why would I commit suicide? I cannot even commit suicide because of my mother.
“Even if they are burying my mother, I will cleverly stay away from the grave so that I won’t fall into it. I can’t commit suicide because of President Buhari. I never said that and will never make such a statement. I never said I would commit suicide if President Buhari returned (alive).”
He added: “If not for our efforts, President Buhari wouldn’t have returned now. Buhari is sick and tired; even his physical appearance betrays this. He needs to go home and rest.
“Today (yesterday), they cancelled the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. You cannot hide the truth forever; it will reveal itself someday. You cannot continue to deceive Nigerians.
“Every word that has come out of my mouth, I have no apology for it. President Buhari was indeed in coma and one of those who visited him said his recovery is a miracle. That shows he was indeed very sick.
“Let President Buhari go back to Daura (in Katsina State home) and rest. Don’t send him to an early grave. President Buhari is not old enough to be my father; my mother is older than Buhari. He cannot be my father; he can only be my uncle. I am close to 60. I stand by all I have said about the President. We are glad he is back, but don’t over-flog him.”
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