…as former Ekiti gov visits ex-President in Abeokuta home
Former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Sunday, set aside the decades-old feud and political hostility as he reunited with former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
On Sunday, Fayose met Obasanjo at his residence within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Fayose’s former media aide, Lere Olayinka, disclosed in a post that the former governor visited Obasanjo after nearly two decades of political hostility.
Some of the pictures attached to the post captured both Obasanjo and Fayose in a friendly mood playing “Ayo Olopon” during the latter’s visit to the former president.
Olayinka posted on his X handle, “Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in Abeokuta, Ogun State today.
“They both had an eventful time together.”
The rift between Fayose and Obasanjo began after the former’s removal as Ekiti governor in 2006. His impeachment was allegedly masterminded by Obasanjo, who was then Nigeria’s sitting president.
In 2010, Obasanjo and Fayose publicly exchanged words at an event in Okuku, Osun State.
It was at the thanksgiving service organised by Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former governor of Osun State.
Obasanjo and Fayose reportedly exchanged very rude and angry words following Fayose’s refusal to greet Obasanjo when they met.
Obasanjo had reportedly called Fayose a ‘bastard’, to which the latter had called Obasanjo the ‘father of bastards’.
Afterwards, on many occasions, Fayose openly tackled Obasanjo, especially each time the elder statesman took a position on national issues.
In 2017, Fayose told Obasanjo to stop making provocative statements that could distract and discourage Nigerians from fixing the economy.
He was reacting to a statement credited to Obasanjo in which he said his generation had failed the nation. Fayose advised Obasanjo to speak for himself rather than making a generalised statement.
Fayose had said, “There is much suffering in the land. The people are hungry. Yet, one of those responsible for this unsavoury state of affairs relishes in adding insult to the people’s injury. He makes statements that are not only reckless but also untrue.
“Obasanjo, truly, has failed this country many times over but not all members of his generation failed this country. There are shining lights in that generation that have served the nation well.”
But the former governor on Sunday set the perennial rift with Obasanjo aside when he visited the former president in Abeokuta.
Fayose, who arrived at the OOPL complex was received by Obasanjo’s aides before proceeding to the former president’s private quarters where the meeting was held.
Although details of their over one hour meeting were not made public, it was gathered that the former Ekiti governor’s “private visit” was to mend fences with Obasanjo.
