TheCable

Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti, has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on 75th birthday — but advised him not to contest in 2019.

Fayose himself has signified his interest to contest in the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while Buhari has unofficially indicated interest.

The governor explained that the country needs an agile president in 2019.

“This is to congratulate Mr President as he clocks 75. I want to thank God for his life and pray for good health in the service of our nation and that he continues to age with grace. I wish him the best,” Fayose said in a statement signed by Idowu Adelusi, his chief press secretary.

“He represents us all and we owe him prayers and cooperation where necessary, just as we also need to criticise him too where necessary.

“I am not a fan of an old man and this is not personal and peculiar to President Buhari. We need an agile president come 2019.

“We need somebody that is experienced and agile. He shouldn’t contest and the decision is his and his party. But that is not going to stop me and my party from taking over from him and his party come 2019.”

Fayose recently alleged that the $1 billion approved for war on terror by the national economic council was meant to finance Buhari’s re-election bid.