Fayemi Says He Could Have Been Nigeria’s President Had He Not Stepped Aside for Tinubu
Former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi stated during an interview on the State Affairs podcast that he would have secured Nigeria’s presidency in the 2023 election if he had not withdrawn his candidacy to support Bola Tinubu.
The host of the show, Edmund Obilo, posed the statement to Fayemi, who affirmed it with a simple “yes.”
Contrasting Subsidy‑Removal Approaches
Fayemi used the opportunity to compare the subsidy‑removal strategies of former President Goodluck Jonathan and current President Bola Tinubu.
He accused Jonathan of lacking the political courage to end the fuel subsidy, even though many state governors — including himself — backed the move while the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) opposed it.
According to Fayemi, Jonathan yielded to pressure and abandoned a policy he considered economically sound.
In contrast, Fayemi praised Tinubu for implementing the subsidy removal on his first day in office, despite the ensuing economic and political backlash.
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