Fayemi Played An Outstanding Role In Turning APC To A Strong Opposition In 2015 – Buhari

Former President Muhammadu Buhari has praised erstwhile Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi for his dedication to democracy.

Buhari shared his admiration for the former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) while celebrating him on his 60th birthday.

In a glowing tribute, Buhari commended Fayemi’s unwavering dedication to democracy, his resilience in leadership, and his commitment to nation-building, noting that his contributions to Nigeria’s political landscape would always be remembered.

He acknowledged the role Fayemi played in the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which saw the historic defeat of the ruling party in 2015, paving the way for Buhari’s presidency.

Buhari said, “He stands tall as a statesman and a leader as he continues to inspire others in all age brackets across Nigeria.

“Fayemi played an instrumental role in the coming together of our disparate political parties into a single, strong opposition party, the APC, which did the unthinkable in 2015 – ousting a ruling party through the ballot box for the first time in Nigeria.”

Beyond party politics, Buhari highlighted Fayemi’s long-standing activism in the struggle for democracy, recalling his involvement in NADECO and other pro-democracy movements that championed freedom and good governance in Nigeria.

“His contributions to the presidential campaign, both as its director of policy and as a key figure in the struggle for the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria, would continue to be remembered by political leaders across the country,” Buhari said.

Buhari also praised Fayemi’s grace and political maturity, particularly in how he handled his 2014 governorship election loss.

He noted that Fayemi did not bear grudges against those who worked against him, even when some resorted to name-calling and distortion of his achievements.

“Any ordinary leader would have buckled, but JKF was made differently. Instead, he went back to the drawing board, recalculated, redesigned a path to the State House, and was able to convince the people to give him another chance four years after”, Buhari added..