Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has revealed that he actively worked against his party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the February 25, 2023 election. Fayose, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stated that he supported the candidacy of Bola Tinubu from the All Progressives Congress (APC) because the PDP had been unfair to him.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics program, Fayose admitted that he did not work for the PDP during the election and instead campaigned for Tinubu. He emphasized that he cannot support two candidates simultaneously and that Tinubu, being a respected figure from the South-West, deserved his support.
Expressing his grievances with the PDP, Fayose mentioned that both he and his son were suspended by the party despite his significant contributions and sacrifices. He criticized the PDP for giving its presidential ticket to Atiku, an ex-Vice President from the North-East, arguing that it was time for a Southern Nigerian to become the President after the two-term tenure of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.
Fayose vowed to take legal action against the PDP if the party attempts to discipline him for his support of Tinubu. He asserted that he would not be silenced and would continue speaking out against any attempts to suppress his voice.
The former governor clarified that his recent meeting with the President was unrelated to his ongoing court case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He dismissed claims that Tinubu could influence the outcome of his trial, which has been ongoing for five years.
In the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu secured a resounding victory over Atiku in Fayose’s home state of Ekiti. Tinubu also won in 11 other states across the country, garnering a total of 8,794,726 votes compared to Atiku’s 6,984,520 votes.
