Ayodele Fayose, the former governor of Ekiti State, and President Bola Tinubu have a long history of personal relationships, although Fayose has previously said that he would prefer to stay at home than accept a job in Tinubu’s cabinet.
The leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) disclosed that Tinubu had extended an appointment offer to him, but he graciously turned it down, while appearing on Politics Today on Channels Television in October 2025.
After two terms as governor of Ekiti State, Fayose declared he had no desire to run for government again.
At 65 years old, I’d prefer to remain at home and tend to other matters. At the time, he expressed his satisfaction with his contributions as a two-term governor and said that he had served his state well.
Additionally, the ex-governor emphasised that his connection with Tinubu did not constitute political affiliation with the governing All Progressives Congress. He insisted that his opinions on national issues were driven by conviction rather than the desire for political appointments.
On Monday, though, things changed when President Tinubu nominated Fayose to head the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
Along with 26 other appointments to the boards of 10 federal agencies and commissions, the news was announced by Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy.
All appointments were said to have taken effect immediately by the Presidency.
The position has brought Fayose’s previous statements about his rejection of involvement in the APC-led administration into sharp focus, which he publicly stated less than a year ago.