Just as the popular saying goes, “there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics, just permanent interests.” This has continued to play out in Nigeria’s political landscape year in and year out without any end in sight.
We have in the past seen fierce political opponents turning into best friends, as well as former political allies becoming fierce rivals. This is the case with Fayose and Tinubu
Prior to the 2023 elections, Fayose was one of the most vocal critic of everything Tinubu stood for. From his time as the governor of Lagos State to his era as the Leader of the All Progressives Congress, there seemed not to be a time when Fayose, at some point, didn’t find fault in Tinubu’s actions and inactions.
Fayose has become one of the greatest cheerleaders of Mr. President. In a recent interview with Channels Television, Fayose revealed how he threw his weight behind Tinubu and worked against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP in the 2023 presidential election.
In light of the new friendship between the two political bigwigs, Tribune Online takes a look at some of Fayose’s statements about Tinubu in the past years.
No apology over his detention (2004)
The rift between Tinubu and Fayose didn’t start yesterday but has been in existence for about 2 decades now. Back in 2004 when Tinubu and Fayose were governor of Lagos and Ekiti states respectively, Fayose disclosed that he had no sorry to waste on Tinubu over the alleged report that he was detained by armed soldiers in Ekiti.
He lacks Integrity (2014)
While eulogizing the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, during his 80th birthday back in March 2014, Tinubu said the Awujale was “not part of the useless Obas in Yorubaland who will sell out, we know them and it is not yet time to mention names. In Yorubaland today, you are the best monarch and that is not contestable. The good Obas’ in Yorubaland, who is forthright, firm, and stand by the truth not up to five, they are just three.”
The statement however did not sit well with Ayodele Fayose who was at the time seeking election into the Ekiti state government house under PDP.
In response, Fayose who described Tinubu’s statement as an insult to the entire Traditional Institution in Yorubaland, said, “Only someone without history and integrity will open his mouth to castigate our Obas, who are the custodians of Yoruba culture and tradition.”
Beware of Tinubu, he is treacherous ( 2015)
In March 2015, Fayose Speaking through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka said the North should beware of the support being given to Buhari by Tinubu.
Accusing him of being treacherous in the statement, he said, “Tinubu said with his mouth at Onikan Stadium, Lagos on Saturday that he was instrumental to the victory of President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2011 general elections.
“He said: “In 2011, I helped Jonathan become President because he made us believe he was a breath of fresh air.”
“That to me is treachery and on this issue of Buhari and the March 28 presidential election, I am saying again that the North should beware!” Mr. Fayose said. “The North should know that Tinubu’s support for Buhari is a Greek gift. Tinubu only wants to corner the economy of Nigeria, using Buhari because he knows that he (Buhari) is weak, and even at 41, his military government was run by his deputy, Tunde Idiagbon.
“Therefore, now that the Almighty Allah has made Tinubu confess that he traded off Ribadu in 2011, I am calling on our brothers and sisters from the North to beware of this political mercenary.
You sponsored protests against Jonathan (2017)
In 2017, Ayodele Fayose accused Bola Tinubu of being the brain behind most of the protests staged against former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He claimed that not only did Tinubu support most of the protest, but the also bankrolled the protest financially.
While supporting the then-proposed ” Enough is Enough” protest against the Buhari-led first-tenure administration, he said, “When Tinubu and APC Governors were bankrolling Actors and Actresses such as 9ice (Who later served as Special Adviser to APC Gov. Ajimobi in Oyo), Ronke Oshodi Oke (She’s a member of APC transition committee in Ondo), Dayo Adeneye D1 (current Commissioner for Information in Ogun State) Desmond Elliot (now a member of Lagos State House of Assembly), Jide Josoko (Veteran APC Reps Aspirant from Lagos), etc to stage protest against Jonathan’s government, heaven did not fall.
“All the aforementioned entertainers were at Freedom Park, Ojota in January 2012 for one week, singing against Jonathan in the presence of Pastor Tunde Bakare of the CPC (now APC) and Dino Melaye; and Heaven did not fall then.
Linking me with the APC leader is like linking me to an armed robber (2018)
While reacting to a rumor that he went to Lagos to beg Bola Tinubu to allow him to join APC in 2018, Fayose rubbished the rumors saying it was an insult to his personality.
In a Twitter post dated August 5, 2018, Fayose wrote, “Linking me with any APC leader is like saying that I’m associating with armed robbers who stole the mandate of Ekiti people. If it will remain one man that will continue to stand against the tyrannical govt of Buhari and his APC, that one man will be Peter Ayodele Fayose.
I will defeat Tinubu if PDP fields me, can’t support his ambition (2022)
In the build-up to the 2023 general election, Fayose in an interview rubbished a rumor that he has pledged support to Tinubu adding that the APC chieftain lacks what it takes to win him if they were to be up against each other in a presidential race.
He said, “Who has told you that I don’t want to be President? Who has told you that if the PDP picks me that I will not defeat Asiwaju? Who has told you? You don’t know maybe I will still contest. If I come out and they zone it to the South-West and they say it’s Fayose, if they pick Asiwaju, I will defeat him!”
While maintaining he had nothing to gain from supporting Tinubu, he said, “I have never seen the quote. It is impossible. How do I claim to be the husband of a woman in another man’s house? It is all heresies. Loose talks! Listen, the PDP government is far better than the APC government in Nigeria. Would he (Tinubu) leave the APC people and come to give me appointments or will he make me vice president, such that I work for the APC? It is not possible. Tinubu is for the APC, I am for the PDP. All these insinuations are just to call the dog a bad name to hang it.”
I worked against Atiku, supported Tinubu — Fayose (2023)
According to Fayose, he chose to work against his party’s standard-bearer, Atiku Abubakar, because “PDP has not been fair to me”.
He claims that in “reality … I worked for Asiwaju (Tinubu). He is a respectable person from the South-West. It is the time of the South.”
and then