Isaac Fayose, younger brother of former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, has urged his elder brother to reject his recent appointment as Chairman of the Board of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), saying the position is too small for someone of his political standing.
Isaac made the remarks in a video posted on his Instagram page on Monday, shortly after the Presidency announced the appointment of Ayo Fayose as REA board chairman alongside 25 other appointments into the governing boards of 10 federal agencies and commissions.
The appointments were announced in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. According to the statement, Fayose will serve as chairman of the REA board, while Ahmadu Abubakar and Ilyasu Ibrahim Makinta were appointed as non-executive directors. The agency’s Director-General, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, and three executive directors were retained.
However, Isaac Fayose questioned both the nature of the appointment and its timing, insisting that his brother deserved a higher office if he was to return to public service.
Speaking in a mixture of English and Pidgin, Isaac said he was surprised that the former governor was offered the chairmanship of a federal agency rather than a ministerial or ambassadorial position.
“They said they gave my brother DG, not minister, not ambassador,” he said.
He continued by expressing disappointment that someone with his brother’s political experience had only been considered for what he described as the chairmanship of a government agency.
“They said they gave him DG, head of parastatal, chairman of a committee. They no see give him minister, they no give him ambassador.”
Isaac also compared his brother’s appointment with that of Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide and political commentator who has recently been appointed as an ambassador.
“Even Reno Omokri sef, they gave him ambassador. They couldn’t give my brother ambassador. So why just chairman of a parastatal?” he asked.
The businessman also suggested that the appointment may have been influenced by recent political developments involving his family.
He linked the announcement to a visit by former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, who visited him over the weekend.
According to Isaac, the Federal Government may have acted after Obi’s visit because of concerns over the family’s political direction.
“They gave my brother DG because Obi came on Saturday to visit me. So they said, no, we must enter that family,” he claimed.
Peter Obi had visited Isaac Fayose just days after the younger Fayose publicly threatened to withdraw his support for the opposition figure. During the visit, Obi reportedly assured him that many of those attacking him online were not genuine supporters of the movement.
Following the meeting, Isaac described Obi as Nigeria’s “incoming president” and renewed his support for the opposition ahead of the 2027 general election.
In his latest video, Isaac also recalled conversations he had with his brother after he left office as governor in 2018.
According to him, Ayo Fayose had repeatedly stated that he would not seek another government appointment after completing his tenure.
He quoted his brother as saying that once he left Government House, he would focus entirely on his private business instead of accepting another political office.
“My brother told me, Ayodele Peter Fayose, ‘Isaac, when I’m leaving this Government House, whenever I leave this Government House, I will not be a minister, I will not be DG, I will not be senator, I will not be anything. I will face my business,'” Isaac said.
He added that his brother had already achieved financial success before entering politics and therefore had no need for another public appointment.
According to him, Ayo Fayose had been wealthy long before becoming governor and had continued to prosper in private business.
Isaac described the REA appointment as a “Greek gift” and questioned why it had taken so long for the Federal Government to offer his brother a position.
“Why didn’t they give you appointment since? Why did they wait till Obi come?” he asked.
Despite his criticism, Isaac congratulated his brother on the appointment but advised him not to accept it.
Instead, he jokingly suggested that Fayose should allow one of his sons to take up the role if possible.
“Congrats on your appointment. You better give your son. Please, don’t use that kind of appointment. You are too big for that,” he said.
He further praised his brother as a political leader and kingmaker, using the Yoruba expression “Afobaje ni e,” meaning “you are a kingmaker.”
Isaac also used the opportunity to express confidence in the opposition’s chances in the 2027 presidential election.
He claimed that the opposition already enjoys widespread support across the country and predicted victory if the election is free and fair.
“I am ready to see it through. And I know what we have on ground in Nigeria today. Election, we have 62 per cent, total vote cast, free and fair, credible,” he said.
He also dismissed fears that the election could be manipulated.
“I’m not scared. They are scared of what they don’t know,” he added.
The appointment of Ayo Fayose has attracted attention because of his long and eventful political career. Fayose served two terms as governor of Ekiti State, first between 2003 and 2006 before his impeachment, and later from 2014 to 2018.
Known for his outspoken style and strong grassroots support, he was one of the leading figures in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for many years. Although he has remained active in national politics since leaving office, he has often maintained that he had no interest in seeking elective office again.
In recent years, Fayose has also taken positions that differed from those of many leaders in the PDP. During the 2023 general election, he openly supported President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), despite remaining a member of the PDP at the time.
The Rural Electrification Agency, which Fayose has been appointed to chair, is responsible for expanding electricity access to rural and underserved communities across Nigeria. The agency plays a key role in implementing government programmes aimed at increasing electricity supply through grid extension, mini-grids and renewable energy projects.
The latest appointments announced by the Presidency are part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to fill vacancies and strengthen the leadership of strategic agencies and commissions.
Whether Ayo Fayose will respond publicly to his younger brother’s advice or accept the appointment remains to be seen. As of Monday, the former governor had not issued any statement on Isaac Fayose’s comments or indicated whether he would decline the position.