TheCable

Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti and a presidential hopeful, says he will appoint a “minister of stomach infrastructure” if he is elected as president of Nigeria.

Fayose said this on Friday while addressing journalists after he appeared before the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential screening committee in Abuja.

The former governor said he told the screening panel that “stomach infrastructure policies” would be part of his focus if he is elected president of the country, adding that as much as tarring roads and providing other infrastructure are good, that would not be sufficient if people are hungry.

“I made it clear that I will have a minister of stomach infrastructure and welfare of the people,” he stated.

“For me, stomach infrastructure is part of being supportive of the ordinary Nigerian. Stomach infrastructure, under my watch as president of Nigeria, will be a major theme.

“No one is saying here that you will not do the needful in terms of developing the country. Part of development is the welfare and well-being of the people.”

On his position on zoning, Fayose said in the interest of fairness, the PDP should zone its presidential ticket to avoid confusion in future elections.

“The party must remember that whatever we do today will speak for us or stand against us tomorrow,” he said.

“The system is not functioning in our country; the institutions are not functioning, that is why we have all these problems.

“We must be courageous enough to say this is going to the south, and if you want to contest, the Nigerian constitution still gives you the leverage, the opportunity to do so. I support zoning this time to southern Nigeria.”

Fayose added that with the incumbent president from the north, it is only logical for the south to produce the next president, adding that this was not about the party, but about Nigeria’s best interest and stability.