Throwback: Fayose Revealed What He Would Do Rather Than Taking Tinubu's Appointment

• Former Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose, in October 2025, publicly turned down an offer from President Bola Tinubu, insisting he had no interest in serving under the APC government
• The former Ekiti governor's recent appointment by Tinubu has raised questions about his earlier pledge to stay out of public office
• Fayose's brother, Isaac, has since criticised the former governor over the appointment from the APC-led federal government

Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has accepted an appointment from President Bola Tinubu, a move that contradicts a public declaration he made just months ago in which he flatly refused any role in the current administration.

Fayose, a longstanding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made his position clear on October 15, 2025, during an interview on Channels Television's Politics Today programme. He told viewers that Tinubu had personally asked what position could be offered to him, and that his response was an outright refusal.

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"Have you seen me taking an appointment from the APC? Asiwaju asked me, 'What would we give you?' I said, 'Nothing, sir,'" Fayose said at the time.

According to The Punch, Fayose went further, saying age and a sense of fulfilment guided his decision. "At 65, I'd rather be at home, being more responsible, doing other things that I need to do. I've served well. Two-time governor, I've done well. Tomorrow will hold itself," he added.

Fayose's shift towards the APC

His acceptance of a government role appears to mark a significant change in his political direction. In the period leading up to the appointment, Fayose had visibly thrown his support behind APC candidates in the recent Ekiti state governorship election and other parts of the country, a departure from his earlier posture as a critic of the ruling party.

His critics had already begun questioning the sincerity of his earlier statements, pointing to his campaigning for APC candidates as a sign that a formal alignment with the Tinubu administration was imminent.

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Isaac Fayose's criticism

The appointment has also drawn criticism from within the former governor's own family. His brother, Isaac Fayose, publicly faulted him over the decision, adding a personal dimension to the controversy surrounding the reversal.

The development has reignited debate about the consistency of opposition politicians in Nigeria, particularly those who make strong public declarations against the ruling party only to later accept appointments from the same administration they previously criticised.

Fayose predicts PDP fate in Ekiti election

Legit.ng earlier reported that the people of Ekiti are set to elect a new governor for their state in the Saturday governorship election in the state. The race is between 16 governorship candidates, including the incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji.

Also, the Ekiti governorship election is expected to have a turnout of 1,059,360 residents, who are registered voters in the state. The registered voters were said to have increased by 66,000, compared to the number of registered voters in the 2022 governorship elections in the state.

Source: Legit.ng