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Ayodele Fayose, the former Governor of Ekiti State and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has declared that his party's 2023 presidential candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, will not receive his support if he contests again in 2027.
He recalled how he openly worked against Atiku in the last election, warning that he would do so again if the Adamawa-born politician throws himself in the fray again.
He made this known during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, April 19, 2025.
”I publicly worked against Atiku, and I am saying for the second time, if Atiku comes again, I will work against him. It is time to learn our lesson,” Fayose said.
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Fayose noted that the crisis rocking the PDP was triggered when party leaders decided, in their wisdom, to zone power to the North in the last election, ignoring the zoning principle that had been in place for years.
”After eight years of a Northerner, it is the turn of a Southerner. which could involve someone from the East, South West or South South.”
”Those who gave or zoned power back to the North caused all these problems.”
”You don’t have to like a Nyesom Wike or a Peter Obi, but there should be an unwritten, respected gentleman’s understanding of powershift,” he said.
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Fayose says he opposed Atiku for the public interest
The former Governor had openly declared in 2024 that he worked against Atiku, explaining that his love for the country influenced his decision.
“Don’t get it wrong. I worked against him (Atiku) 100 per cent. Nigeria is bigger than the PDP, APC.”
However, he conceded that PDP needs to show a level of accountability and respect the agreed zoning principles if it wants to exert party supremacy.
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”The party must be equitable, the party must be accountable. The party or parent that is irresponsible will produce irresponsible children, they will produce rebellion, and they will produce anger.
”After Asiwaju’s (Bola Tinubu) tenure, if God gives him a chance at a second term. Let a Southerner come out, we as leaders at that time, I will be over 70 or about 70, I will come out straight that a Southerner can not be the President of Nigeria,” he stated.