Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose says President Bola Ahmed Tinubu chose not to deploy the powers of the Federal Government against the opposition during the recent Osun State governorship election.
Fayose, speaking as a guest on TVC News on Tuesday, contrasted the conduct of the Osun election with his experience during the 2018 Ekiti governorship poll, when he said he was on the receiving end of what he described as the “federal might”.
According to the former governor, the difference in the approach adopted by the Tinubu administration during the Osun election demonstrates that credible elections are possible in Nigeria when federal authorities refrain from using state power to influence the outcome.
“I was on the receiving end of federal might in 2018,” Fayose said, while reflecting on his experience during the Ekiti election.
He argued that Tinubu’s conduct in Osun showed a different approach, saying the president was demonstrating to Nigerians that an “election of our dreams” could become possible.
Fayose’s comments come amid continuing debates over the role of federal institutions and security agencies in Nigeria’s electoral process, particularly concerns over the influence of political power on the conduct and outcome of elections.
The former governor maintained that the Osun experience could offer hope for the country’s democratic development if similar standards are sustained in future elections.
