Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has been reaffirmed as a bonafide member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by his aide, Hon Lere Olayinka, during an interview on the Political magazine program “Politics Naija” with Oladigbo OlalekanEfficient on TungbaFM Network which was monitored by Starnigerianews.com.

Olayinka expressed disappointment over the treatment of those who left the party and later returned, labeling loyal party members as enemies. He discussed the misfortunes of PDP in Ekiti State and shed light on why Fayose did not work with Engr Segun Oni.

According to Olayinka, In 2014, when Oni expressed his interest in contesting for Governor of Ekiti State, Fayose emerged as the PDP candidate during the primaries. At that time, Oni threatened to decamp to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Olayinka recounted visiting Oni’s house in Ifaki to understand his reasons for leaving the PDP when Oni expressed his dissatisfaction with the party’s performance. Olayinka reminded Oni of the 2007 PDP Gubernatorial Primary, where Oni finished third, and was eventually appointed as the party’s candidate. Olayinka stated that after spending six years in the APC, Oni returned to the PDP in 2020, three months before the ward congress to contest for Governor. Fayose, however, informed him that he would not support his candidacy.

Furthermore, Olayinka shared his views on the current state of the PDP in Nigeria, describing it as comatose and in need of revival. He suggested that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar could have won the 2023 Presidency if he had reconciled with Governor Wike and the G5. Olayinka stated that the votes meant for both Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso were lost due to their inability to unite, leading to their defeat in the 2023 elections. Olayinka also criticized the former PDP chairman for failing to seek Wike’s support after the party’s convention, instead choosing to praise Governor Aminu Tambuwal, who ran against Wike for the party’s ticket.

Olayinka advised Atiku Abubakar, who has been aspiring to be President of Nigeria for a significant period of time, to step aside and allow younger leaders to take the stage. He emphasized the need for a generational shift in leadership and suggested that Atiku take a step back from the political scene.

Overall, Olayinka’s interview shed light on the loyalty of former Governor Ayodele Fayose to the PDP and highlighted the challenges facing the party in Ekiti State and Nigeria as a whole.