Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has disclosed that he was dissuaded by his wife from publicly criticizing former President Muhammadu Buhari after his death in July 2025.
Speaking during an interview on Politics Today on Channels Television, he remarked on Nigerians’ tendency to glorify the dead regardless of their record.
“When President Buhari died, I wanted to come out and abuse him, but my wife called me not to say so,” he revealed.
Despite the restraint, Fayose maintained his stance that Buhari’s eight-year administration was marked by failure.
“Would you say Buhari performed? I’m not among those praising the dead,” he added. “Don’t honour me when I die. When I die, I’m gone.”
Fayose argued that Nigeria’s challenges significantly worsened under Buhari’s leadership, yet many now shift the blame onto President Bola Tinubu. Drawing a contrast between the two leaders, he described Tinubu as more approachable and responsive.
“He [Tinubu] is accessible. Was the former president accessible?” Fayose asked. “A lot of things were happening in those days, but do you still find them in the system? He is not a perfect man, but we are not where we were.”
