Former Kayode Fayemi has declared that he could have emerged as Nigeria’s president had he not stepped aside for Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the ruling party’s presidential race.
Fayemi, a former governor of Ekiti State and ex-minister, said his decision to withdraw from the contest and back Tinubu was driven by political strategy and party unity ahead of the 2023 general elections.
“I would have become the President if I didn’t step down for President Tinubu,” Fayemi said, reflecting on the high-stakes contest that eventually produced Tinubu as the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
His remarks have reignited conversations around the behind-the-scenes negotiations and alliances that shaped the APC presidential primaries, one of the most fiercely contested political battles in recent Nigerian history.
Fayemi was among several influential aspirants who sought the party’s ticket before Tinubu secured a decisive victory and later won the presidency.
