By Emem Nsini-Godwin
Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has come under public pressure from his younger brother, Isaac Fayose, following his appointment as Chairman of the Board of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
President Tinubu announced the appointment on Monday, July 20, 2026, as part of a broader reshuffle involving 26 appointments to the boards of 10 federal government agencies and commissions.
The appointments were contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said all the appointments take immediate effect.
According to the statement, Ayo Fayose will chair the REA Board alongside Alhaji Ahmadu Abubakar and Engineer Ilyasu Ibrahim Makinta as non-executive directors. The agency’s Director-General, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, and three previously appointed executive directors will continue serving on the board.
The presidential statement also announced the appointment of Major General Junaid Bindawa (Rtd.) as Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, alongside several other appointments to agencies including the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, the National Population Commission, the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET), and the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission.
Isaac Fayose Rejects Appointment
Reacting in a video posted on his Instagram page shortly after the announcement, Isaac Fayose appealed to his elder brother to decline the appointment, arguing that the position was not commensurate with his political stature as a former governor.
“They said they gave my brother DG… not a minister, not ambassador. Even Reno Omokri, they gave him ambassador. They couldn’t give my brother ambassador,” Isaac said.
Questioning why the former governor was offered the chairmanship of a federal agency rather than what he described as a more prominent national role, he asked, “So why just chairman of a parastatal?”
Isaac further claimed, without providing evidence, that the timing of the appointment may have been influenced by a recent visit to his residence by former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
“They gave my brother this appointment because Obi came on Saturday to visit me. They said, ‘No, we must enter that family,'” he alleged.
‘You Promised to Stay Out of Public Office’
Isaac also recalled what he described as a personal promise made by the former governor after leaving office in 2018.
According to him, Ayo Fayose had once said he would not seek or accept another political appointment after completing his tenure as governor.
“Isaac, when I’m leaving 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,” he quoted his brother as saying.
He noted that the former governor had built a successful business career before venturing into politics and urged him to remain focused on his private pursuits.
Describing the appointment as a “Greek gift,” Isaac questioned why it came several years after his brother left office.
“Why didn’t they give you the appointment since? Why did they wait until Obi came?” he asked.
Despite his criticism, Isaac congratulated his brother on the appointment but maintained that he should reject it or hand the opportunity to one of his sons.
“I know you will not take this. But if you take it, who am I? Congratulations on your appointment. Please, give it to your son. You are too big for that,” he said.
Speaks on 2027 Elections
Beyond the appointment, Isaac Fayose used the opportunity to express optimism about the opposition’s chances in the 2027 general elections, claiming he was confident of a credible electoral process and favourable outcome.
“I am ready to see it through. I know what we have on the ground in Nigeria today. Election—we have 62 per cent, total votes cast, free and fair, credible,” he stated.
No Response from Ayo Fayose
As of the time of filing this report, former Governor Ayo Fayose had not publicly responded to his brother’s remarks or indicated whether he intends to accept or decline his appointment as Chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency Board.
His appointment forms part of President Tinubu’s latest effort to reconstitute the boards of key federal agencies as the administration seeks to strengthen governance across strategic sectors of the economy.
