- Fayose said Buhari’s performance was poor and the country was worse during his eight-year administration than under Tinubu.
- Fayose claimed President Tinubu is not perfect but more accessible and responsive than Buhari ever was in office.
The former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has revealed that his wife prevented him from publicly criticising the late President Muhammadu Buhari after his death.
Buhari died in July 2025 at a private medical facility in London and was buried in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State.
Speaking on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television aired on Friday, Fayose noted that Nigerians often praise the dead, regardless of their record.
“The people in Nigeria only praise the dead. When President Buhari died, I wanted to come out and abuse him (but) my wife called me not to say so,” he said.
Fayose stated that, despite what some people now say, Buhari’s performance during his eight years in office was below expectation.
“Would you say Buhari performed? I’m not among those praising the dead. Don’t honour me when I die. When I die, I’m gone.”
The former governor described the country as being in a dire state under Buhari’s administration, contrary to current attempts to blame Tinubu.
Fayose said President Bola Tinubu is more available and responsive to the people than Buhari ever was.
“He [Tinubu] is accessible. Was the former president accessible?”
He added, “A lot of things were happening in those days but do you still find them in the system? He is not a perfect man but we are not where we were.”