Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has shared that he was urged by his wife not to publicly criticize Nigeria’s former President, Muhammadu Buhari, following his recent death earlier in July.
During his appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Friday, Fayose expressed his well-known disapproval of the Buhari-led administration. He remarked, “The people in Nigeria only praise the dead,” and revealed his initial intent to speak against Buhari after his death, saying, “When President Buhari died, I wanted to come out and abuse him (but) my wife called me not to say so.”
Fayose, who had maintained a critical stance throughout Buhari’s presidency, stated that he believed Buhari’s administration fell short of expectations. He questioned the praise being posthumously bestowed on the former leader and insisted that he preferred not to be glorified after death. “Would you say Buhari performed? I’m not among those praising the dead. Don’t honour me when I die. When I die, I’m gone,” he declared.
Reflecting on the conditions of the country during Buhari’s time in office, Fayose stated that Nigeria experienced numerous issues. He used this as a basis to counter critics of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, arguing that comparisons between the two leaders should be made with caution. “When President Buhari was in government, we all know what this country was. So, nobody should come and tell me that (President Bola) Tinubu is not doing well,” he said.
He also pointed out that, unlike Buhari, President Tinubu maintains a level of openness and accessibility. “He (Tinubu) is accessible. Was the former president accessible?” he asked, drawing a distinction between the leadership styles of the two presidents.
In a further effort to defend Tinubu’s leadership, Fayose acknowledged the depth of the challenges facing the country. “Nigeria is a sick country; it will take heaven to pull it out at once,” he stated. He explained that expecting swift transformation within a short period of governance is unrealistic, emphasizing that the problems inherited by Tinubu were deeply rooted. “What miracle can anybody do in two years? The situation is critical, wide and deep. Tinubu inherited a very bad economy,” he argued.
Buhari, born on December 17, 1942, had previously served as Nigeria’s military ruler from January 1984 to August 1985. He returned to national leadership as a democratically elected president in May 2015 and completed two terms in office before handing over to President Tinubu in May 2023.
What You Should Know
Ayodele Fayose, a vocal critic of former President Muhammadu Buhari, revealed that he refrained from making negative comments after Buhari’s death due to his wife’s counsel.
Despite this restraint, Fayose reiterated that Buhari’s leadership did not meet expectations and credited Tinubu for his accessibility and willingness to engage.
He defended Tinubu’s efforts amid Nigeria’s ongoing economic challenges, emphasizing the depth of the issues inherited from past administrations.
