You’re Too Big For REA Chairmanship, Isaac Fayose Tells Ex-Governor Brother

Isaac Fayose, younger brother of former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, has urged his elder brother to reject his appointment as chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), insisting the former governor is “too big” for the position.

Isaac made the remarks in a video posted on his Instagram page on Monday while reacting to the announcement by the Presidency appointing Ayo Fayose as chairman of the REA board alongside 25 others named into the leadership of 10 federal agencies and commissions.

President Bola Tinubu had approved the appointments in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Under the new REA board, Ayo Fayose will serve as chairman, while Ahmadu Abubakar and Ilyasu Ibrahim Makinta were appointed non-executive directors. The agency’s director-general, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, and three executive directors were retained.

Reacting to the appointment, Isaac questioned why his brother was offered the chairmanship of a federal agency rather than what he described as more senior positions.

“They said they gave my brother a DG, not a minister, not ambassador,” he said.

“They said they gave him DG, head of parastatal, chairman of a committee. They no see give him minister, they no give him ambassador.”

He also compared the appointment to that of former presidential aide Reno Omokri, saying, “Even Reno Omokri sef, they gave him ambassador. They couldn’t give my brother ambassador. So why just chairman of a parastatal?”

Isaac further questioned the timing of the appointment, linking it to the recent visit of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to his residence.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Obi visited Isaac on Saturday after the younger Fayose publicly described him as Nigeria’s “incoming president,” despite earlier threatening to withdraw his support for the opposition figure.

Questioning the timing of the appointment, Isaac said, “Why didn’t they give you appointment since? Why did they wait till Obi come?”

He recalled that Ayo Fayose had previously maintained he would not seek or accept political appointments after leaving office.

“My brother told me, Ayodele Peter Fayose, ‘Isaac, whenever I leave Government House, I will not be a minister, I will not be DG, I will not be senator. I will face my business,’” he said.

According to Isaac, the former governor had built substantial wealth before entering politics and had remained financially successful outside public office.

Describing the appointment as a “Greek gift,” he urged his brother to decline it or hand it over to his son.

“I know you will not take this. But if you take it, who am I? Who am I? Omo Oba.

“Congrats on your appointment. You better give your son. Please, don’t use that kind of appointment. You are too big for that. Afobaje ni e,” he said, using a Yoruba expression that loosely translates to “You are a kingmaker.”

Isaac also used the opportunity to express confidence in the opposition’s chances ahead of the 2027 general election.

“I am ready to see it through. And I know what we have on ground in Nigeria today. Election, we have 62 per cent total vote cast, free and fair, credible,” he said.

He dismissed concerns over possible manipulation of the electoral process, adding, “I’m not scared… They are scared of what they don’t know.”