Former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, has described President Bola Tinubu as the shortest route to power returning to the North, despite the interest of African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) counterpart, Peter Obi, in the presidency.
Naija News reports that Fayose made this known while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Fayose, who was recently appointed Chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) board by Tinubu, said both Peter Obi and Atiku would struggle to serve an eight-year term if elected president.
Fayose also insisted that President Tinubu would secure over 12 million votes to win the 2027 election.
He said, “The reality today is this power is coming to the South, the South must do eight years. Let me equally tell you, Asiwaju is the shortest path to the North. If an Atiku comes in, he will be struggling to do eight years, if Obi comes in, he will want to say I will do eight years. May I say to you respectfully, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the shortest path to power going back to the North, any Northerner contesting now is just contesting.
“Unfortunately, you are not a politician. I am analysing based on my experience. You brought me to this place because you know that I knew a little about Nigeria. This politics is not a tea party. Asiwaju will have over 12 million votes, write it down to rig election now is very, very difficult.”
Fayose also predicted that Tinubu will win the 2027 presidential election, even if opposition candidates, Atiku and Peter Obi, decide to join forces.
Recalling how former president Olusegun Obasanjo lost his third-term bid, Fayose said Atiku and Peter Obi’s loss will be too bad if they stand alone.
According to Fayose, he had no issues with anyone but maintained that the opposition knew it would not make progress in the 2027 presidential election.
The former Governor further claimed the South-West would produce a vote margin of at least six million in Tinubu’s favour, questioning how either Atiku or Peter Obi would secure a significant share of votes from the President’s region.
He said, “When Obasanjo wanted to do his third term he failed, anybody can deny but I don’t want to join issues with Obasanjo, I’m just giving this as an example.
“When he wanted to do a third term it didn’t work because there are unwritten constitution that is within the norms of our politics.
“Today when you go by the book, in what way will Obi and Atiku, even if they come together, this man, President Tinubu, will still defeat them. But let us say that they didn’t come together, too bad for them.
“Southwest will come up with not less than five or six million difference, who will vote for Obi and Atiku in Ekiti? Who will vote for them in Osun? Who will vote for them in Ondo? What is their structure?”