Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has disclosed that he intended to criticise late former President Muhammadu Buhari after his death, but was persuaded not to by his wife.
Fayose made the revelation during an appearance on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired on Friday. A long-time critic of Buhari, he said he initially planned to speak out following the former president’s passing.
“When President Buhari died, I wanted to come out and abuse him,” Fayose said. “But my wife called me and told me not to.”
Buhari, who served as Nigeria’s president from 2015 to 2023, died on July 13 in a London hospital and was buried on July 15 at his residence in Daura, Katsina State.
Fayose maintained his critical stance on Buhari’s presidency, arguing that his performance while in office did not merit praise.
“Would you say Buhari performed?” he asked. “I don’t believe in praising the dead just because they’re gone. Let the truth be told—we all know how the country was during his administration.”
While criticising Buhari, Fayose expressed support for current President Bola Tinubu, describing him as more open and engaged.
“He (Tinubu) is accessible. Was Buhari ever accessible? Many of the things that happened then no longer happen. Tinubu may not be perfect, but we’ve made some progress.”
He called for patience with the Tinubu administration, stressing that Nigeria’s current challenges require time and sustained effort to resolve.
“Nigeria is in a critical condition—it won’t recover overnight. No one can perform miracles in two years. Tinubu inherited a deeply troubled economy.”
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