Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as a “magnanimous” approach to the August 15 Osun State governorship election.
Fayose said the Federal Government had the capacity to influence the outcome of the election if it had chosen to do so, but argued that President Tinubu’s conduct demonstrated a commitment to allowing democracy to thrive.
He made the remarks on Tuesday during an interview with TVC News while reacting to comments by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who said he could have helped the All Progressives Congress (APC) win the election if Tinubu wanted victory “at all costs.”
The former governor also recalled his experience during the 2018 Ekiti State governorship election, alleging that federal authorities deployed security and other institutional powers against his administration.
According to Fayose, the circumstances surrounding the Osun election were significantly different from what he experienced in Ekiti.
“Let me give you an instance. Ekiti was taken from me in 2018, by all means possible. Those features did not play out in Ede,” he said.
Fayose alleged that days before the 2018 election, his movements were restricted and his security personnel were withdrawn.
“Three days before my election, the government house was jammed. You can’t talk to anyone on the phone. All my security details were taken to police headquarters in Ado Ekiti and I was left on the field for three days,” he claimed.
He further alleged that security personnel prevented him from leaving the Government House to attend a campaign event and assaulted him when he resisted.
Fayose said the incident left him with a neck injury that required several medical procedures.
Reflecting on the Osun election, however, the former governor congratulated the winner and praised Tinubu’s handling of the process.
He said, “If not for Tinubu, who has been very magnanimous in his actions, what would be the way to talk to him on social media? Have you seen him going after anybody to arrest them? Let me tell you, we have to thank God for this kind of president.
“He is showing us that it is possible to have an election of our dream in this country.”
Fayose noted that although Tinubu appointed the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Inspector-General of Police and the Chief of Army Staff, such appointments did not automatically mean the institutions would be used to manipulate elections.
He argued that the President’s “body language” was more important in determining how institutions would conduct themselves during elections.
“People tell me that that combination will not take an election if they want to take it. It is the body language of a president they look at. And his body language is telling everyone that let this democracy survive,” he said.
In the August 15 Osun governorship election, incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, who contested on the platform of the Accord Party, polled 511,067 votes to defeat APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815 votes. African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam came third with 17,180 votes.
Adeleke won in 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, while Oyebamiji won the remaining 11.
Fayose described the contest as closely fought and urged Adeleke to be magnanimous in victory.
The former governor also dismissed speculation that his support for the Tinubu administration and his recent appointment as Chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency Board indicated plans to defect to the APC.
Fayose said his support for the President was based on his desire to contribute to national development rather than partisan politics.
“I have always supported the President while I was in office, about 15 years ago. And with all respect to the President, I was in the office of the Governor when he was in the office of the Governor in 2003. We’ve always related. Yes, we’re in different parties,” he said.
“It’s a call to serve for those who truly want to serve. It’s a call to serve. So for me, I am going to give my best.
“I will do everything possible to ensure that I make a mark.”
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