The Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, in this interview, dismisses the claim that hate campaign was responsible for the loss of President Goodluck Jonathan in the March 28 election, blaming the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) for it.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) blamed the loss of the party at the March 28 presidential election on hate speeches from some party officials, particularly some members of its Presidential Campaign Organisation. How do you react?
I am sorry that you asked me this question because this is an assertion that I have refused to comment on since the allegation was made. Ever since the conclusion of the presidential election, I have been asked the question you just asked me more than any other and I believe that, for posterity’s sake, it is time to set the record straight.
Everywhere I go. this question of hate campaign is raised and, frankly, I am tired of it. Worse still, some people are beginning to believe the rubbish because we have refused to clear the air. We cannot be expected to remain silent forever when faced with such a grave allegation. This is all the more so because it is my directorate (the Directorate of Media and Publicity) and team that they sought to target, malign and discredit more than anyone else even though they did not mention my name or my directorate. The truth is that I have no hate in me and neither did anyone in the PCO or in my directorate.
The personal attack of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti on Gen. Muhammed Buhari, the president-elect, before the election is said to be one of the things that worked against the PDP at the March 28 presidential election. Do you share that sentiment?
That is arrant nonsense and those in the NWC that said so are cowards and turncoats. They are traitors and they are working for the enemy. Did these so-called party leaders complain when Jonathan was attacked by the APC and Lai Mohammed every day? I find it strange that they are prepared to accept the personal attacks on their own candidate as being acceptable yet they complain when we attack the candidate of the other side. Whose side are these people really on? Fayose was not the only one that focused his attention on Buhari. Many of us did because Buhari was the issue for us and everything about him became relevant. In the same vein, for the APC, Jonathan was the issue and they focused their guns on him.
We did not complain and cry about it like little children; instead we returned fire and responded forcefully. We have no apology for that and we believe that we spoke nothing but the truth and we backed up our assertions with facts and figures. We didn’t just talk but we did our research. We were effective. We have nothing against Buhari but we had a job to do and we did it as best as we could. Those who lacked the guts, the finesse and the capacity to do the job should stop whining and should learn from those of us who are capable of doing it and are prepared to do it for the sake of our President, our party and our country. It is unfortunate that some members of the NWC are pointing fingers and making accusations and counter allegations against senior party leaders after we lost the elections.
They are more to blame for our defeat than anyone else. After losing the elections, the right thing to do is for us to do soul-searching, look within, indulge in sober reflection and serious introspection, maintain some sense of self-respect and dignity, refuse to defect to the other side and desist from giving the other side ammunition to fight us in future.
-Vanguard
