Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has confirmed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has returned the $20,000 he provided for the former president’s travel logistics ahead of his 65th birthday event.
The repayment followed a renewed dispute sparked by Obasanjo’s comments during the celebration.
The controversy began after Fayose granted an interview narrating the sequence of events leading up to the birthday programme, including what transpired between him and Obasanjo before and during the event.
Speaking with AF24 News, Fayose disclosed that Obasanjo’s remarks during the celebration angered him so deeply that he momentarily felt like snatching the microphone from the former president and hitting him with it.
“I was enraged. I felt like taking the mic from Obasanjo’s hand and hitting it on his head. This is being sincere,” Fayose said.
During his speech at the event, Obasanjo had described Fayose as “not the best” among his political protégés, while still acknowledging his achievements—comments Fayose considered humiliating, especially on his birthday.
Fayose narrated that days before the event, he visited Obasanjo at his residence, where he was warmly received. He said he assured the former president of his attendance despite having another engagement in Rwanda.
He further disclosed that Obasanjo requested assistance with travel logistics, prompting him to arrange and deliver $20,000.
“We took pictures together. All in good faith. I changed $20,000 and gave it to him. How can you accept somebody’s money and come and be spitting on that person?” he asked.
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Fayose said his concerns grew when Obasanjo insisted on speaking last at the birthday event, placing himself after Vice President Kashim Shettima.
“Baba said he would be the one to speak last. I became suspicious,” he said.
According to him, Obasanjo instructed the moderator to invite the vice president before him and directed that Fayose and his wife stand beside him throughout a speech that lasted “one hour, 14 minutes.”
Fayose said the speech contained subtle jabs and veiled criticism.
“How do you say such things to a man on his 65th birthday?” he asked.
He added that he remained calm out of self-respect and in deference to the vice president’s presence.
Fayose said the $20,000 was part of a brief attempt at reconciliation between him and Obasanjo after nearly two decades of political friction. But he claimed the former president’s conduct showed he had no genuine interest in peace.
“If I knew this was how it would end, what do I need Obasanjo for? Am I contesting the election? Do I need his validation? No,” he said.
After the birthday controversy, Fayose said he wrote a firm message to Obasanjo, prompting the former president to return the $20,000.
“I have written to him, and he has returned my $20,000. And I thank him for returning it. It is in my possession now. I have changed it to naira,” Fayose stated.
“I am very happy. I will not allow such a man to carry my money away.”
Fayose also revisited a long-standing issue involving a N10 million contribution he made to the Obasanjo Presidential Library in 2005. He insisted that the funds must be refunded.
“I wrote to him, with all humility, that since he has accepted at my birthday that he received that money through the governors’ forum, that means the one for me, he should return that money,” he said.
“Whatever, I just want my N10 million. The moment I get it today, I will confirm that I received it. You can’t be disparaging people and be chopping their money. That is 419.”