Ayodele Fayose, the Governor of Ekiti State, says he will continue to be outspoken irrespective of the criticism that constantly comes his way, as the Bible remains his watchword.

Speaking shortly after delivering the 13th convocation lecture at the Benson Idahosa University in Benin, Edo State, Fayose said he has been termed controversial because of his courage to speak truth to power.

He went as far as saying that if he is placed in the den of lions, the animals’ claws would go inside.

He said: “Some people chose to be under the table; they don’t want to die. They are afraid. But remember that the Bible says that those who want to gain their life will lose it and those that lose their life will gain it.

“And the same Bible tells me, ‘Fear for nothing’. My strength lies in God Almighty. If you put me inside running water, the water will become still. If you put me the den of lions, the teeth, the claws will go inside; you can find that in the Bible too.

“I am the man to watch in this generation. So, I am controversial because I am doing things other men like me cannot do. They are scared. They are afraid; they don’t have courage.”

Fayose further urged Nigerians not to be scared to express their opinions even when it does not favour the powers that be.

Quoting some passages of the Bible, he said, “I draw my power from those things (Bible passages). When I wake up, I lie down in my bathroom and say, ‘Lord, many are the afflictions of the righteous. But the Lord God will deliver him from them all’.

“What I am saying to you is that controversy is necessary for democracy. We must have our voice. I am not an APC member and I will never be.

“But remember the fact that our leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a courageous man in his own right, our leader in Yoruba land, forget about politics… if they give Asiwaju appointment, he will give a Yoruba man. Whether he is in the APC does not matter.

“‎And I came out strongly; I defended him. I am not defending politics. I am defending the truth. Our politics must have where we would stop it and say the truth as may be necessary.‎”