Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has accepted an appointment from President Bola Tinubu as Chairman of the Board of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), months after publicly declaring that he would rather remain at home than serve in the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government.
The appointment, announced on Monday, marks a sharp contrast to Fayose’s position in October 2025, when he disclosed that he had declined an earlier offer from President Tinubu, insisting he had no interest in returning to public office.
Speaking during an appearance on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme aired on October 15, 2025, the Peoples Democratic Party chieftain revealed that Tinubu had asked what position he would like to take in his administration, but he politely turned down the offer.
“Have you seen me taking an appointment from the APC? Asiwaju asked me, ‘What would we give you?’ I said, ‘Nothing, sir.’
“At 65, I’d rather be at home, being more responsible, doing other things that I need to do.
“I’ve served well. Two-time governor, I’ve done well. Tomorrow will hold itself,” Fayose had said.
The former governor also stressed that his cordial relationship with President Tinubu was personal and should not be interpreted as political alignment with the ruling APC.
“I’ve not been with the APC, but I’ve been Asiwaju’s friend and brother for a long time. That is the truth,” he said.
Fayose further maintained that his public interventions on national issues were driven by conviction rather than expectations of political appointments or personal gain.
However, despite those remarks, the Presidency on Monday named him Chairman of the Board of the Rural Electrification Agency as part of a fresh round of appointments into key federal agencies and commissions.
The appointment was announced in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who disclosed that President Tinubu approved 26 appointments into the boards of 10 Federal Government agencies and commissions.
The statement identified Fayose as the new chairman of the REA Board, signalling a significant departure from his earlier stance against serving in the Tinubu administration.
His acceptance of the appointment is expected to generate political reactions, given his previous public insistence that he had no desire to take up any role in the APC-led Federal Government despite his long-standing personal relationship with the President.
