Fayose, Obasanjo renew feud as ex-governor fires back after birthday remarks

By Johnson Arua

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has launched a fresh verbal attack on former President Olusegun Obasanjo, barely 48 hours after the former Nigerian leader attended his 65th birthday celebration in Lagos.

Obasanjo had surprised many by attending the event on Saturday, where he publicly recounted his strained relationship with Fayose and how reconciliation efforts were made through intermediaries. Speaking at the celebration, the former President said Fayose had previously hurled insults at him but was later compelled to seek his forgiveness.

“You are not the best of my political children, but you have made achievements that must not be ignored,” Obasanjo said. “Even to get me to come here, you could not approach me directly. You sent Osita Chidoka to sound me out.”

He narrated how Fayose later phoned him, hesitantly visited his Abeokuta residence, and how he reprimanded both the ex-governor and his wife. According to him, Mrs. Fayose pleaded for forgiveness, prompting him to eventually let go of past grievances.

“So, you have asked for forgiveness and as far as I’m concerned you are forgiven. But the right lessons must be learnt,” Obasanjo said.

He also urged Fayose to reconcile with others he may have offended and to forgive his political adversaries.

However, the reconciliation appears short-lived. In a statement issued by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo released portions of a strongly worded text message allegedly sent by Fayose after the event. In the message, Fayose accused the former President of making “irresponsible comments” and used unprintable labels to describe him.

“Your coming to my birthday party, I appreciate, except for your very irresponsible comments at your age,” Fayose was quoted as saying. “Someone once said you are supposed to be kept in a zoo. Sincerely, that’s where you belong.”

The former governor also accused Obasanjo of suffering from “heightened dementia” and demanded the return of a sum of money he claimed to have given him in the past.

Obasanjo, in a terse response, said the money had been returned through the same intermediary who delivered it.
“Ayo, thanks for your ‘thank you’ message which undisguisedly revealed who and what you are,” he replied. “Your money has been sent back through Foluso Adeagbo in the same bag as he brought it, unopened by me.”

The exchange has reignited a long-running rivalry between the two political figures, with analysts warning that the renewed spat could rattle political alignments ahead of the 2027 election cycle.