Former Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose has played down speculations that he may defect from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress. Speaking during a television interview on Friday, Fayose made it clear that his political path remains tied to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Fayose explained that wherever Wike chooses to stand politically is where he also belongs. He described himself as loyal to the former Rivers State governor and said that loyalty would guide his decisions going forward.
Despite openly criticising the PDP leadership in the South-West, Fayose maintained that he has no intention of joining the APC. He insisted that remaining outside the ruling party does not change his close relationship with Wike or his views on how the PDP should be run.
Fayose was a key member of the G-5 group within the PDP during the 2023 general elections. The group, which included Wike, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, and former governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Samuel Ortom, opposed the PDP presidential candidate at the time, Atiku Abubakar, over disagreements linked to the party’s zoning arrangement.
During the election period, Fayose, Wike, Makinde and Ugwuanyi worked in support of President Bola Tinubu of the APC, while Ortom backed Labour Party candidate Peter Obi. Fayose said his current position does not change his stance that he will not formally join the APC, even as he continues to align himself with Wike’s political moves.