Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, had disclosed that he never intended to invite former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, despite the widely held belief that Obasanjo’s presence at his 65th birthday celebration signalled the end of their long-running feud.
Speaking in an interview with AF24NEWS, Fayose dismissed claims that he sought forgiveness from Obasanjo, insisting he only reached out to the elder statesman as part of a broad courtesy gesture to mark his milestone birthday.
He said he had no prior knowledge that Obasanjo would publicly declare, “You have asked for forgiveness, and as far as I’m concerned, you are forgiven. But the right lessons must be learnt.”
Reacting to Obasanjo’s remark, Fayose said he was taken aback. “I was not aware Obasanjo would make such a statement,” he said.
Fayose narrated how, two weeks before his birthday, he made a conscious decision to invite people he had previously fallen out with.
He said, “I wrote so many names, some we don’t talk again, some I don’t even have their numbers. In the case of Olusegun Obasanjo, I didn’t have his number.”
Fayose said he told all invitees the same thing: “I am 65. Whatever differences we have had, let’s put them behind us. If I’ve offended you or you’ve offended me, let’s move on. Life is too short.”
He explained that he got Obasanjo’s number through a mutual friend, Osita. Fayose insisted he never called Obasanjo to apologise for anything.
He said, “I never called to go and apologise to him. I did not offend him. He was the one who removed me from office. He was the one who declared a state of emergency in Ekiti.”
Fayose added that despite this, he still reached out out of respect, “When you call an elderly man, if you want peace, you go beyond your rights.”
Obasanjo’s Reaction To Fayose’s Call
Fayose said Obasanjo responded in his usual teasing manner, “I called Baba and he said, ‘Who is that?’ I knew that is his style.”
According to him, Obasanjo later told him he didn’t need anyone to contact him on Fayose’s behalf, “Baba said, ‘You don’t need an Osita to call me. Anytime you want to talk to me, call me.’”
Fayose said he invited Obasanjo in good faith and not for political validation. He stated, “If I knew this was how it would end, what do I need Obasanjo for? Am I contesting election? Do I need his validation? No.”
He added that at 87, Obasanjo’s views “should not define anyone’s political future.”
He further stated, “Baba is always attacking everybody. He attacked the IBB. he called Atiku, so many names, and when Buruji died same thing, I know him Baba see no good in anybody, even in his comment on that day Baba was saying I know you went to Olivet, you have certificate, we know who do not have certificate, who was he referring to apparently he was sarcastic trying to refer to the president of Nigeria which nobody can do it to him.
“Baba now said i can come anytime. So I told my wife, and I called him 3, 4 days after, and I said well, I will come on Sunday and I went there with my children. When we got there, we took pictures together. He was playing Ayo. Eventually, he finished playing. He held my hand and said let’s go. We went inside with a friend of mine, to whom I sent money through to Baba. So Baba said they said it’s your birthday.
“I did not originally go to invite Baba. I just chose to make peace and visit him. Quoting Obasanjo he said, “You know, they said it’s your birthday. I said yes. He said when? I said on the 15th. I didn’t have the card. I didn’t take a card with me. The card was in the car. Baba now said I will attend. He now asked that they should call Dangote, who will be hosting a program in Rwanda. They couldn’t get Dangote. He said don’t worry yourself. I’ll be there.
“Dangote will have to take one day, which is Friday night, and he must drop me back at 1:00 to attend your function.”
Fayose further stated that whenthey finished, Obasanjo asked, “Where is the card?” He stated that it was at that point they gave him a card.
He disclosed that Obasanjo said, “You have to arrange for me to charter a flight back.”
In his response to the demand, Fayose said, “Okay. I’m a former governor. “Baba, I will get back to you.”
Narrating further he said, “We took pictures in good faith, and we left. The next day I had to go and change money. Change $20,000 twice $10,000 each.
“I gave it to Foluso, and he went to give the money to Baba.”
Condemning Obasanjo’s action during his birthday he said, “How can you take somebody’s money and come and disparage that person? When we were there, I called my wife to say, “We’re in Ota, would you say hello to Baba?” The next thing Baba would say to my wife ‘You and your husband are not good people, and my wife said Don’t be angry, Baba. If I do not want peace, why will I call my wife? Why will I take my children? But God, who sees the heart of men, will vindicate me from all this shenanigans. The perrception is that I am a very hard man.
“Yes, I’m a hard man based on facts. I do not shy away from realities and truth. I’m not a cow. Baba went to Ibadan after my visit on Sunday and people started calling me on a Wednesday when he went to the market.
“Baba now said one former governor, a man you met on Sunday in a very decent manner, peaceful manner, one former governor who has been insulting me, abusing me, I am going to his party on Saturday.
“So I spelt the rat. Why would a man go to such a public function and announce such? So I called a few people. this thing Baba said here naturally they all said I should not be angry I should just call him about it so I didn’t call him, but at 2:30 or 2:00, Baba now asked me what is the program like and I said the program is about six different items and there’s no big deal, there will be prayers, why we are here, there will be goodwill messages and vote of thanks and so on and so forth. He said no he wants to take the vote of thanks, I wondered, you are not a member of my family, I didn’t grow up with you, how would you want to, at that juncture I became suspicious of a few things, okay, and baba said he will be the one to speak last, and that my son should say why we are here, that should be the role of my son, I begin to suspect a number of things, I was like you can’t speak after the vice president representing the president.
Fayose noted that Obasanjo said he must speak last and depart.
“I now call Baba again. Baba said the president should speak last, the vice said don’t worry I will manage him. So when Baba was called, Baba told the moderator that you should instead call the vice president. The Vice President was about to give his speech and depart. Baba said he should sit down. He called my wife and I to come and stand for 1 hour and 14 minutes. How do you say to a man on his 65th birthday? Say, ‘E se Omoluabi’, who is he to say that in his capacity.
He noted that when Buruji died, that was how Obasanjo also said he used law and political deeds to escape justice in the world.
Quoting Obasanjo he said, “You will get what you cannot evade justice by death. I remember very well how Iyabo Obasanjo narrated the story of her father against her, all that Iyabo said about her father, but I don’t want to go back. I was enraged, I felt like taking the mic from him and hitting him on the head. I’m sincere, but to show maturity, not by age, and the love I have for myself, and the presence of a vice president. I just kept my cool, and you know that nobody would do that naturally and get away. I remember when we went to a governor at his residence during Thanksgiving, when the former head of state, Ibrahim Babanga, was seated. Akala was alive. I entered the room and greeted everybody. Akala now say Baba was seated. I said, “Which Baba now?” Baba said he cannot greet me, and that bastard is me. I said you are a bastard. You are the father of all the bastards. So for me, I could not have, but I maintained and kept my cool. So when I got home that night, I composed a very nice text. I now reminded him that you are supposed to be in the zoo. I agree with that person. You’re supposed to be locked away in the zoo. “
When he was asked if that was not too harsh? He said, “Please. It was not. It was right for what he was saying on my birthday in front of the camera. Honour comes from the top down. What is the meaning of? You don’t have words to say that people should not be doing what he’s doing. He’s always right. He’s the corruption-free president. He is the one who’s not a thief. He’s not an armour robber. But he confessed that day that through the Governor’s forum, he collected $10 million from me for the library. He said it there. So I’ve written to him because he has returned my $20,000 that I sent to him, and I thank him for returning it.
When asked if he has his $20,000, Fayose said, “It’s in my hand now. I went to change it yesterday to Naira.”
when asked how he feels about that, he said, “I’m very happy. You can’t lose. You can manage yourself and still carry your money away. I will not allow him. I wrote to him. He didn’t publish that one. My money. You can’t go without money.
Fayose said he wrote to him with all humility that he should please remember that he had accepted that he received that money through the governor’s forum.
He said, “I just want my 10 million. The moment I get it today, I will confirm that I have received it like this one.
“You can’t be disparaging people and taking their money. That’s 419. So, let’s leave that one for another day. So, for me, I did not equally send that message to the public. I sent it to Obasanjo just in his inbox on his phone. I sent it as a text message. So he was one who went to the press, and I’m very happy he went to the press. So which is good? Do you want to tell me has no dementia? No, no, no. He has dementia.”
When asked if he foresaw mending of his relationship with Obasanjo, he said, “No, please. That’s the end. I said it, Obasanjo, who removed me from office. Remove other governors? He removed about six of us. By the grace of God, I have forgiven him. But I will never make this last mistake that I made with this thing. Never.” (Sic)
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