0
0
Former Ekiti governor demands public disavowal of aide’s statement or risks damaging new allegations involving Wike
Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has fired a fresh salvo in the escalating political war of words with the camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, issuing a 48-hour ultimatum for Atiku to publicly disown a statement released by one of his media aides.
In a new communiqué issued Thursday, Fayose expressed amusement at the response from Paul Ibe, described as one of Atiku’s Media Aides, to his earlier explosive allegations regarding what transpired during Tuesday’s meeting between Atiku and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde at the residence of former Head of State Ibrahim Babangida in Minna, Niger State .
“Respect for Atiku”
The former governor, who governed Ekiti State for two non-consecutive terms, struck a measured tone regarding the former Vice President even as he sharpened his attacks against his aides.
“However, because of my respect for Atiku, I will want to assume that he did not authorise the press statement and I will expect that after seeing it, he will within 48 hours, cause a rebuttal to be issued on it,” Fayose stated.
The demand follows a blistering response from Atiku’s camp Thursday morning, which dismissed Fayose’s earlier claims of secret negotiations, N10 billion financial commitments, and vice-presidential horse-trading as “beer parlour tales of infamy” and a “shameless concoction” .
In that official response, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, had described Fayose as a “serial purveyor of political gossip whose relevance survives only on controversy, distortion, and cheap propaganda” .
“More beans” on Wike threat
Fayose, known for his combative political style, raised the stakes significantly by threatening to expose what he claims are further undisclosed details of the Minna deliberations.
“Should Atiku not publicly disown the statement within the next 48 hours, I will have no option but to spill more beans (the facilitators and executioners) of the Minna meeting, particularly what was said about Wike,” the former governor warned.
This marks the first time Fayose has explicitly linked Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike to the Minna meeting narrative. The reference to Wike, a prominent figure in the G-5 governors’ camp and a known political adversary of Atiku within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structure, suggests the former Ekiti governor is prepared to escalate the intra-party dispute significantly .
Fayose cautioned that any further revelations would be made “without any atom of respect” for the former Vice President should he fail to meet the 48-hour deadline.
“Till then, we keep our gunpowder dry”
The statement, dated February 12, 2026, and personally signed by Fayose, concluded with his characteristic martial metaphor: “Till then, we keep our gunpowder dry.”
The ultimatum plunges the opposition political landscape into fresh uncertainty, coming barely hours after Atiku’s camp had sought to shut down Fayose’s narrative with what they termed “the weight of truth” .
Neither Atiku Abubakar nor Governor Seyi Makinde have personally commented on either Fayose’s original allegations or the escalating exchange between their respective aides. The ADC, which Atiku recently joined, has also maintained official silence on the matter .
Political observers note that Fayose’s invocation of Wike’s name introduces a volatile new dimension to what was already a tense political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly given Wike’s strained relationship with Atiku following the 2023 PDP presidential primaries and general election.
As the 48-hour clock ticks, attention now shifts to Atiku’s response — or silence — and whether the former Vice President will personally intervene to either repudiate his aide’s sharply worded statement or risk what Fayose has now framed as a more damaging disclosure.
SB E-news.
About the Author
