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Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has said the presidential ambition of Peter Obi suffered a major setback when he left the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general election.
Fayose made the statement on Tuesday during an interview on TVC News’ Politics Tonight, while assessing the chances of the opposition parties against the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2027.
He said Obi and other opposition figures had a stronger chance of challenging the APC when they operated under the ADC, but their decision to leave the coalition weakened the opposition’s prospects.
“When they were all together in ADC, I would tell anybody that they will make an impact. The day Obi left ADC for NDC, that day Obi lost,” Fayose said.
The former governor, however, acknowledged Obi’s political credentials, describing him as “a fantastic Nigerian who has made his mark, who has shown that things can get better.”
Fayose said the failure of opposition politicians to remain united would continue to undermine their chances in the 2027 presidential election.
“But when opposition, when they don’t come together, they will continue to lose,” he said.
He argued that it was now difficult for the opposition to reverse its political arrangements because the Independent National Electoral Commission had already accredited the candidates.
“It’s too late now,” Fayose said. “INEC has accredited everybody. Even if you say you are not doing again, you’re on your own.”
“You have put your feet in the water. You can’t get out. You have gotten wet already,” he added.
Fayose also predicted a strong performance for President Bola Tinubu in the South-West, saying the President could secure about four million votes in the region based on the voting pattern recorded during the 2023 presidential election.
“In the West alone, Tinubu will get close to about four million votes,” he said. “When you look at the pattern of the last election, Tinubu will win this election close to about 65 per cent.”
On the recent Osun governorship election, Fayose dismissed claims that vote-buying was the responsibility of only one political camp, saying supporters of the APC, Peoples Democratic Party and Accord were all involved.
“It’s mere desperation. Mere desperation,” he said, adding, “The two sides clearly, going by what we saw on the television on Saturday, police arrested the two sides sharing money. So don’t come and tell me they are saints both ways.”
Fayose described electoral malpractice as a systemic problem requiring action from both politicians and voters.
“We have a lot to put right,” he said, adding, “It’s the system. It’s systemic. It is a problem that has to be addressed.”
