₦airaland Forum

Former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, has stirred fresh political debate after questioning Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s self declaration as the political “number one” of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State.

He spoke when he appeared on Arise TV aired on Tuesday.

During the programme, Fayose drew a parallel with the political structure in Lagos State, arguing that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu cannot lay claim to being the political leader with President Bola Tinubu’s influence.

He insisted that such authority resides with the President, a former governor of the state.

Fayose recalled the recent impeachment and subsequent reinstatement of the Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, describing the reversal as a clear demonstration of Tinubu’s overriding influence in the state’s political affairs.

“The president that I know hates ingratitude. He controls Lagos from the palms of his hands. For instance, the speaker was impeached and another person took over in Lagos State.

“The president, without saying a word, caused the system to restore that speaker because it was an affront to the president, who is the leader,” Fayose said.

He added that, “Will you tell me Sanwo-Olu is the leader in Lagos? Let him come out and say he is the leader in the state. There are certain things that are said to create aesthetics. Don’t let it get to your head”.

Fayose described the declaration of emergency rule in Rivers State as a political lifeline for Governor Fubara, arguing that it saved him from imminent political extinction.

“The emergency rule was a win-win situation for Governor Fubara because by now he would have been history. The moment you are impeached, you are out of the way and cannot contest again,” he said.

He further noted that President Tinubu’s political intervention had placed Fubara in a position to reflect and learn, just as he himself did after his first tenure as governor of Ekiti State.

“If you read the account of President Tinubu, he took Governor Fubara to the cleaners. It is time for Governor Fubara to learn, the way I learnt after my first tenure as governor,” Fayose stated.

The remarks come amid a prolonged political feud between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, over the control of Rivers State’s political structure.

In December 2025, Fubara defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.

During the flag off of the Rivers Airport Bypass Project on December 12, he publicly declared his loyalty to the ruling party and President Tinubu, announcing himself as “number one” in the party in the state.

“Today, I am very happy. I am not just a member of the All Progressives Congress; I am the number one. I have collected my membership card and the form is 001,” Fubara said.

“So, from this moment, I am there with all my chest and heart. The message is clear: we are going to do everything to make the 2027 election for Mr President a smooth ride in Rivers State.

“How do we do it? It is with all of you here. With your support. The only way we can continue to tell Mr President thank you is to support him,” he added.

Fubara’s defection followed the movement of 15 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, including Speaker Martin Amaewhule, to the APC.

However, Wike later dismissed Fubara’s leadership claim, insisting that party registration is conducted at ward and local government levels and that there is no statewide “001” position.

“He decamped to APC with whom? What is 001? Let me tell you, there is nothing like 001 in the state,” [/b]Wike said.

[b]“You register in your ward and local government, so if you are 001, it is in your ward. There is nothing like 001 at the state level.

[b]“You could be the first person to register, but that is not your position. Leadership is not because I am a governor. Leadership is not because I am a minister. You must have something that makes you a leader,” [/b]he added

https://dailytrust.com/fayose-queries-fubaras-001-stance-says-sanwo-olu-cant-try-such-in-lagos/?noamp=available

Nlfpmod

I never knew the extent of Fayose's illiteracy, until this interview

No wonder he is friends with Wike; full of sounds and fury, but very empty

Can he go through that interview and see how incoherent he is?

He was employing irrelevant native sayings to make pointless points

Lol... Fayose try rest sha, no be only Fubara dey....

Fayose has been mumuing himself recently, Tinubu is the president and Wike isn't,
The vice president and the Senate President are not the 001 of their state but the governors are.
FYI, Wike is not a member of APC

Odeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedddd

Rivers is not Lagos, Lagos is not Rivers... Even Wike said it,

That sort of stupid loyalty doesn't exist in Ijaw land.

He went to dismantle godfatherism in Edo and made a lot of disparaging statements now he's reaping what he had sown.

Power is temporary. You didn't come into this world with it, and you will leave it behind.

But Hope can try such in Imo State and no one will bat an eyelid 🤷🏾‍♂️

Fayose should stop looking for what is not missing.

Who is Fubara? Is he even 001 in his village? He go cry again since he is cursed with betrayal

Butt lickers association have come for fubara

Now they will go to their graves knowing they went down as certified butt lickers and there are people that didn't bow 😆😆

See them talk
Godfatherism
Slave trade

When obasanjo was president, did he control Lagos?
When Jonathan was president, did he control Lagos,
Buhari challenged tinubu when tinubu tried telling him what to do,
Buhari said: u can't be in Lagos and telling me how to rule,
Tinubu is fond of that, he wants the whole Nigeria to belong to his family ,
If u all don't open ur eyes , he wants to rule like Iran president and all other president that don't want to leave the presidency,
U hear obasanjo or Jonathan put mouth for him matter since he became president?
But he tinubu will want to be on top of everything they do

Fubara have failed several laws of powers

Fubara simply thinks by moving to apc, he has overcomed wike and his gangs by becoming the 00¹ of the party which will automatically make others his subjects.

The madness can only happen in Lagos not even in any other south west state

Fayose is not only unintelligent, but also a fool.

If Tinubu is 001 in Lagos like Fayose claimed, why is Wike fighting tooth and nail to put Rivers in his pocket?
If Lagos glory goes to Tinubu, why should Rivers' go to Wike not Odili?

Fayose doing everything possible to stay in the payroll of Wike....
Wike dey try sha, to employ Fayose and Lere and pay them monthly.

dre11:
https://dailytrust.com/fayose-queries-fubaras-001-stance-says-sanwo-olu-cant-try-such-in-lagos/?noamp=available

Nlfpmod

Sanwo olu is the 001 in Lagos and Tinubu is the 002 in Nigeria


Fayose as ekiti governor was the 001 of ekiti state


Fayose Should stop making noise and if he must leak wike nyssh at least don't disturb us while on it

Nobody rate u I.diot

Fayose is pressing the neck of Fubara and those APC Governors backing him

001 kọ 007 ni

Fayose has Wike's voice, no doubt

Fayose should go and sit down & stop adding fuel to fire instead of quelling it. His cho cho is getting too much

Lagos is different. Tinubu is president, not a mere appointee

Politicians just misbehave as though they own this country because the citizens are too disunited to stop them

Lagos nor be Rivers na! The dynamics are different.

Ekiti man dey put mouth for Rivers State matter..
Ekiti oh!

Is Fayose Wike's boy? Cuz I don't get this level of arselicking.

Fayose is trying to play the devil's advocate... Lol.

He should be more experienced politically than this.

Mumu correlation!

As Akpabio be senate president,nai be 001 for Akwa Ibom?


The person wey you dey defend nor dey fubara recent party.


Fubara na 001 for Rivers State APC.


Wike dey do say he dey since the creation of Nigeria in 1914.

kingsways:
Lagos is different. Tinubu is president, not a mere appointee

Before Tinubu was president nko?

If Fubara needs to tell everyone he is 001 it shows that he's not really in control. It's like a husband reminding his wife that he's the head of the family. It shows he's lost his authority.

Position does not necessarily mean power. The real power of Lagos politics is Tinubu. When Ambode made the mistake to think position means power he soon found out that the power of Lagos is not in Alausa but in Bourdillon .

Many world leaders get their instructions from the so called "powers that be" or "deep state"

ceejay80s:
See them talk
Godfatherism
Slave trade

When obasanjo was president, did he control Lagos?
When Jonathan was president, did he control Lagos,
Buhari challenged tinubu when tinubu tried telling him what to do,
Buhari said: u can't be in Lagos and telling me how to rule,
Tinubu is fund of that, he wants the whole Nigeria to belong to his family ,
If u all don't open ur eyes , he wants to rule like Iran president and all other president that don't want to leave the presidency,
U hear obasanjo or Jonathan put mouth for him matter since he became president?
But he tinubu will want to be on top of everything I do

Everything Tinubu stood against before he covet power illegally, he now does it in a full glare not minding whose ox is gored. Tinubu is nothing but a criminal with no conscience.

WorldRichest:
Who is Fubara? Is he even 001 in his village? He go cry again since he is cursed with betrayal

Tell us, who did Fubara "betrayed"??

But Fubara is not Yoruba man na, and he's not from Lagos state.
He can't be Sanwo Olu.

Tinubu is more powerful in Lagos than Wike is in Rivers.

By now we should know something is giving Fubara mind to go against Wike. Am sure both Fayose and Wike can't pretend not to know.