Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has revealed that he was so provoked by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s comments at his 65th birthday celebration that he briefly contemplated grabbing the microphone and hitting him with it.
The revelation comes days after Obasanjo, speaking at Fayose’s Lagos birthday event, touched on their long-standing political feud.
During his speech, the former president described Fayose as “not the best” of his political protégés, even as he acknowledged his achievements.
Speaking in an interview with AF24 News, uploaded to YouTube on Monday, Fayose recounted the tense moments at his birthday party, saying, “I was enraged. I felt like taking the mic from Obasanjo’s hand and hitting it on his head. This is me being sincere.”
Fayose revealed that two weeks before the ceremony, he had made a personal decision to reconcile with several political rivals, pointing out, “Whatever differences we have had in the past, let’s put them behind us. If I have offended you, if you have offended me, let us put it behind us.”
He added that he reached out to Obasanjo through a mutual friend, Osita Chidoka, who provided the former president’s contact.
Fayose stressed, however, that the call was not an apology. “I never called to go and apologise to Baba. I did not offend him. He was the one who removed me from office. If anybody should apologise, it is he,” he said.
Fayose recalled that Obasanjo received him warmly at his residence days before the event and confirmed he would attend, despite having another engagement in Rwanda.
According to him, “At Obasanjo’s request, Fayose also assisted with travel logistics, even handing over $20,000 for the trip. “We took pictures together. All in good faith. I changed $20,000 and gave it to him. How can you accept somebody’s money and come and be spitting on that person?” Fayose asked.
Tension, he said, escalated when Obasanjo insisted on speaking last at the event, after Vice President Kashim Shettima. Fayose became suspicious of the former president’s intentions.
“Baba said he would be the one to speak last. I became suspicious,” he said.
Obasanjo then instructed the moderator to call the Vice President before him and requested that Fayose and his wife stand beside him during his hour-long-plus speech, which Fayose described as laden with subtle jabs.
“How do you say such things to a man on his 65th birthday?” he asked. “But to show maturity, not by age, but by self-respect and out of consideration for the vice-president’s presence, I kept my cool.”
Fayose concluded that his efforts to reconcile with Obasanjo were genuine, but the former president’s conduct revealed he had no interest in peace.
“If I knew this was how it would end, what do I need Obasanjo for? Am I contesting the election? Do I need his validation? No,” he said.
