Jonathan’ll defeat Buhari, Fayose tells US envoy

Ekiti State Governor, Ayo FayoseThe Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, has boasted that the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the February 14 presidential election, President Goodluck Jonathan, will win the election convincingly.He also said the All Progressives Congress will not win any seat in the state and National Assembly elections in the state.Fayose, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, on Saturday spoke while receiving a team of American diplomats in his office.The Americans were led by the United States Consular General in Lagos, Mr Jeffrey Hawkins.Fayose, who stated that the state witnessed a peaceful poll last year during the governorship election, expressed confidence that the standard would not be lower.The governor said Jonathan would defeat his main challenger/the APC candidate-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) because Nigeria was safe with Jonathan.He told his guests the controversial advertorial he placed in two papers last month was not a death wish but meant “to appeal to sense of reasoning to prevent episode of 2010 when the National Assembly had to invoke Doctrine of Necessity.”He restated that he had no apology for sponsoring the advert, adding that it was his personal opinion and not that of the PDP.In his remarks, Hawkins said the unity of Nigeria should be paramount in the minds of politicians.He decried the tension in the polity, saying elections should not be seen as war.Hawkins added that the United States was interested in smooth transition and election in Nigeria.The Peoples Democratic Party has boasted that its presidential candidate in the February 14 poll, President Goodluck Jonathan, will defeat the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari in the North.The party also claimed that the President would win more than two-third of the total votes cast as well as the required 25 per cent in all the states of the federation.The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement issued on Saturday said President Jonathan would beat Buhari in the North not only because the party controls 12 out of the 19 states of the region but also because the citizens are pleased with the numerous development projects Jonathan executed in the region.