The Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has thrown its weight behind the appointment of former Governor Ayodele Fayose as Chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), describing the position as a national assignment that deserves the party’s full support.
The endorsement comes weeks after President Bola Tinubu appointed Fayose to lead the federal agency in mid-July, a move that has continued to attract political attention given the former governor’s status as a prominent member of the opposition PDP.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the party’s Publicity Secretary, Oluwafemi Philips, the PDP disclosed that its State Working Committee unanimously resolved to release Fayose to undertake the national assignment, adding that the decision had already been communicated to the party’s National Working Committee.
According to the statement, the party believes the former governor possesses the leadership capacity and administrative experience required to drive the agency’s mandate of expanding electricity access to underserved rural communities across Nigeria.
“The State Working Committee unanimously approved the decision to release His Excellency, Ayodele Fayose, for this important national assignment,” the statement read.
The party expressed confidence that Fayose’s experience in governance and public administration would strengthen the agency and enhance efforts to improve power supply in rural areas.
Fayose served as governor of Ekiti State under the PDP from 2014 to 2018, having earlier occupied the office between 2003 and October 2006 before his removal from office.
Across both tenures, he established himself as one of the party’s most influential political figures.
Although he was among the most vocal critics of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, Fayose openly supported Bola Tinubu’s presidential bid in the 2023 general election despite remaining in the PDP.
The former governor has consistently maintained cordial relations with the president while insisting he has no intention of defecting to the APC.
His appointment by the APC-led federal government has therefore generated widespread interest across political circles because he remains a leading figure within the opposition party.
The Ekiti PDP said it views the appointment as an opportunity for Fayose to contribute to national development rather than partisan politics, noting that public service at the federal level should be seen as a responsibility that benefits the country.
The party also congratulated the former governor on the planned commissioning of a monument in his honour at the Ekiti State Government House, describing the recognition as a reflection of his contributions to the state’s development.
It further assured Fayose of its support and prayers as he assumes office, expressing optimism that he would justify the confidence reposed in him through effective leadership of the agency.
Fayose’s appointment mirrors a growing trend in the Tinubu administration of assigning key national positions to prominent members of opposition parties.
In 2023, President Tinubu appointed former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, another influential PDP figure and former APC critic, as minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
Like Fayose, Wike has retained his membership of the PDP while serving in the APC-led federal government, underscoring an emerging pattern of cross-party appointments involving politicians who have not formally changed their political affiliations.
