Lere Olayinka Reacts As Ayodele Fayose Says He And Nyesom Wike Cannot Be Sacked From Politics

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Adviser on Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has stirred political conversation after reacting to comments credited to former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, regarding his enduring relevance in Nigerian politics.

Olayinka took to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account to highlight Fayose’s remarks, which were made against the backdrop of ongoing political tensions in Rivers State.

In his post, Olayinka recounted a brief political background of Fayose while amplifying the former governor’s assertion that neither he nor his political allies could be pushed aside or erased from the political landscape.

The comments followed Fayose’s public reaction to the lingering political standoff between Nyesom Wike and his successor as Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

Fayose appeared to downplay the intensity of the crisis, insisting that political structures built over time cannot simply be dismantled by changes in office or shifting alliances.

According to the statements shared by Olayinka on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, Fayose maintained that he remains a central figure in Ekiti State politics, just as Wike continues to wield significant influence in Rivers State.

He reportedly dismissed suggestions that either of them could be politically sidelined, describing such notions as unrealistic and disconnected from political realities.

Fayose was quoted as saying that political relevance is sustained through long-standing relationships, loyalty, and mutual respect between political leaders and their successors.

One such example, according to Fayose, involved his own intervention at the national level. He stated that he personally approached President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intercede on behalf of Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji at a critical time.

Fayose added that this gesture of support was later acknowledged and reciprocated, reinforcing his argument that respect for political predecessors remains a key element of stability within party structures.

He further cited developments in Kogi State, noting that Governor Usman Ododo has continued to show allegiance to his predecessor, Yahaya Bello. Fayose described this as another illustration of how political continuity and loyalty can coexist, even amid leadership transitions.

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