Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has thrown his weight behind President Bola Tinubu and Governor Biodun Oyebanji for re-election ahead of the 2027 general elections, despite being a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Speaking at a high-profile political gathering in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, Fayose praised the performance of both leaders and declared his unreserved endorsement.
“I hereby endorse publicly, without reservation, President Bola Tinubu for a second term. I also endorse our governor, Biodun Oyebanji, and his deputy for a second term,” Fayose stated to a crowd that included former governors, state leaders, and National Assembly members from Ekiti State.
While reaffirming that he remains outside the All Progressives Congress (APC), Fayose stressed that his support is performance-based, not political. “I am not a member of his party and I will never be, but I stand here to say I have seen the good work. I commend Governor Oyebanji’s humility and leadership. He deserves another term,” he said.
Fayose also used the occasion to reflect on his own political legacy, challenging Oyebanji to match his record of winning across all 16 local government areas and 177 wards in the state. He praised the unity among Ekiti political figures, calling it a “model for all states in Nigeria,” and commended former Governor Segun Oni for fostering that unity. In a lighter jab, he congratulated recent PDP defectors to the APC while joking, “It doesn’t matter how many decampees come over except me, I’m coming nowhere.”