Former Governor of Ekiti State Dr. Kayode Fayemi was conspicuously absent on Monday as chieftains of the All Progressive Congress gathered for the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for second term.
At the event held in Ado Ekiti were former Governor Ayo Fayose, Ekiti Governor Biodun Oyebanji, Ondo State Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa and other leaders of the party.
The endorsement letter was received on behalf of Tinubu by the National Secretary of the party Ajibola Basiru.
The absence of Fayemi had set tongues wagging as many wondered the state of the relationship between Fayemi and President Tinubu.
NPO Reports that Fayemi had attempted to contest the presidential nomination ticket with Tinubu in the build up to the last presidential election.
He had however pulled out of the race in the last minute at the Eagle Square where the primary election held .
Fayemi had, while addressing delegates at the nomination event, asked his supporters to vote for Tinubu.
NPO Reports however observed that relationship between the two had gone south since the election of Tinubu in 2023.
It was gathered that Tinubu had felt slighted by the action of Fayemi whom he said should have been one of those to lead his campaign to be president.
Fayemi was one of the closest allies of the President especially having been in the trenches together for the actualisation of the June 12 presidential election won by the late Chief Moshood Abiola.
They had been in the exile together with Fayemi taking some risky tasks such as running the revolutionary Radio Kudirat.
At the end of the military rule in 1999, Fayemi became one of the forces to be reckoned with in the new political arrangement. He was eventually elected Governor of Ekiti State in 2007 with his victory delayed till a court pronounced him the winner of the election in 2010.
After Tinubu’s election in 2023, it was said that Fayemi had expected to be compensated for his efforts at mobilising for the election of the President with a major position.
Fayemi had once served as Minister of Solid Minerals under President Muhammadu Buhari.
He later returned to Ekiti to be Governor again 2018.
Tinubu is said to have ignored Fayemi in his appointments leaving the former Governor out in all calculations.
Fayemi is one of the President’s former allies who are not with him under his present presidency.
Others not with him include former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Senator Olorunnibe Mamora, former Minister of State for Police Musiliu Obanikoro, former Minister of Works and one time Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola and a host of others.
Attempts to get explanation for the absence of Fayemi at the endorsement event in Ekiti on Monday was not successful as at the time of writing this report.
However, an ally of the former Governor who spoke to the NPO Reports on condition of anonymity said said Fayemi must have his reasons for not being around.
“There must be a reason but I’m not in a position to say that. I cannot deny the fact that he was absent. Everyone knows that. But if you are able to get to him, he is in the best position to give explanations.,” the ally said