The Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDPGF) has sharply criticised former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, describing him as a “subsisting liability” to Nigerian politics, following his recent comments on Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement released Wednesday, the Forum’s Director-General, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo, condemned Fayose’s remarks, saying his partisan attacks demean Nigeria’s political culture and undermine governance.
Governor Makinde met with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on January 22 to discuss matters concerning both the national and state governments.
Fayose, however, alleged that Makinde was accompanied by Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang because he was unwilling to meet the President alone. Fayose further claimed that Tinubu only discussed governance issues and avoided addressing political complaints, including Makinde’s prior warning that the President was seeking to entrench a one-party system.
The PDPGF dismissed these allegations, accusing Fayose of seeking relevance after failed attempts to align with the Presidency.
“Ordinarily, the Forum, like any sensible and focused group, would not engage with characters like Fayose or confer on them the dignity they do not deserve. Nevertheless, it is exigent to respond to Fayose’s latest gaffe to highlight his degenerative public demeanour and its demeaning impact on the image of Nigerian politics,” the statement read.
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The Forum further criticised Fayose’s characterization of Makinde’s meeting with the President as politically motivated, saying it portrays Tinubu as “a desperate leader solely focused on consolidating power” and suggests that the current administration is preoccupied with political manoeuvring at the expense of governance and development.
Describing Fayose as “more a liability than an asset to the country’s body politic,” the PDPGF accused him of becoming a “self-appointed attack dog of the Villa” after failing to market his services to the Presidency. The Forum also urged Fayose’s associates to seek professional help on his behalf.
“Nigeria’s democracy can be harmed by elements like Fayose, who only find relevance in an atmosphere of partisan hate and crises,” the statement concluded. “The PDPGF therefore calls on the Presidency to dissociate itself from unsolicited hounds like him for the sake of sanity and decency in politics.”