Former Senator Dino Melaye has slammed ex-governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, over his attack on other presidential aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 general election, saying Nigerian presidency is not “Amala and Ponmo”.

Melaye, who represented Kogi West Senatorial District at the Senate, called on the leadership of the PDP to caution Fayose against de-marketing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

The former Senator lashed out at Fayose, describing him as “a presidential gambler”.

Melaye said this in a statement issued on Friday titled, ‘The Presidency is not Ponmo and Amala’.

He stated that the leadership of the PDP should be cautious of Fayose, saying the former governor is a mole in the main opposition party working for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The statement read: “Inebriated by several wraps of Amala in Abuja, former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, in his characteristic exuberance, directed indecent and indecorous attacks at two serious contenders for the presidential ticket of the PDP, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar and His Excellency Bukola Saraki.

“Incidentally, the mauling of Amala gained more publicity over the collection of the presidential nomination form, in a pretentious exhibition of dining with the masses.

“This frugal populism has since been deflated by allegations of charges for the ferreting of billions of Naira from public coffers in Ekiti State. Is Amala and Abula so expensive?

“The issue before Nigerians now is not who can eat more, but who can produce food. That is why the attempt to tar the outstanding achievements of Atiku Abubakar as former Vice President and Bukola Saraki as former Senate President by Fayose would be discounted as the belching perfidy of a presidential gambler.

“It is clear from the verbal missiles deployed by Fayose that he was simply de-marketing frontline aspirants in PDP as a counter-intuitive strategy to shore up the chances of his political godfather in APC.

“It is amazing that Fayose who could not manage and retain a PDP state now aspires to lead a behemoth structure like Nigeria. Today, Ekiti is stripped of all vestiges of PDP; no PDP Senator, no PDP House of Representatives member, no House of Assembly member, no Local Government Chairman, and not even a Councillor. He left Ekiti State worse than he met it. How could he fail in the state and expect promotion to the national?

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“The contest for the ticket of PDP and the Presidency of Nigeria is a serious engagement. Those who aspire to the position must elevate themselves above pedestrian conduct and address real issues, rather than dwelling on inconsequential inanities.

“The national leadership of our great party should call Fayose to order, by curtailing his unproductive verbiage against serious contenders.

“Having failed to upgrade from local political space to the national stage, Fayose may indeed be assisted to undertake a week-long orientation session on the ethics and codes of peer relations on a presidential canvass.

“Nigeria is in dire straits at the moment. It is beyond the call of jesters in the corridors of elevated governance,” Senator Melaye stated.

The Star had reported that Fayose, on Thursday, obtained his expression of interest and nomination forms to vie for the presidential ticket of the PDP ahead the 2023 general election.

The former governor became the 14th aspirant to pick the PDP presidential nomination forms.

Those, who have obtained the PDP presidential nomination forms include Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, former Senate Presidents, Bukola Saraki, Anyim Pius Anyim; Governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State.

Others are former Governors Peter Obi (Anambra State), Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti State), Ovation Publisher, Dele Momodu; Dr Nwachukwu Anakwenze; Diana Oliver, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, and Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.

The Star