Mr. Isaac Fayose has publicly reiterated his support for the presidential ambition of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate Peter Obi, describing him as Nigeria’s “incoming president” during a visit to his residence on Saturday.
The endorsement comes days after Fayose criticised Obi over what he described as a lack of appreciation for his support during the 2023 presidential campaign and threatened to withdraw his backing.
Fayose shared a video of the visit on his Instagram page, where he welcomed Obi and expressed optimism about his political future.
In the video, Fayose said: “It’s not every day the President comes to your house. Our incoming president. So shall it be, in Jesus’ name.”
While responding to critics who had questioned his loyalty to Obi, Fayose added, “For you others abusing me, you can see now, I am 100 per cent Obidient. So you better be Obidient. We are together, and we are winning.”
Reacting to Fayose’s remarks, Obi suggested that many of those attacking the businessman online were not genuine supporters of his political movement.
“Half of the people that abuse you, they don’t follow us. What they do, when they hire people, they carry them, call them all sorts of names,” he said.
Obi also stressed the importance of constructive criticism, noting that he remains open to correction whenever he falls short.
He said: “My people will tell you one thing: the one thing I take is criticism. You can never be annoyed with anybody for saying I did something wrong.
“Anytime you have any reason to criticise, and when we are not doing what is right, please, I want to hear that I am wrong. It is important that we do that.”
According to the former Anambra State governor, effective leadership requires humility, a willingness to listen, and the courage to acknowledge mistakes.
“If he doesn’t, he shouldn’t lead. He should just go, because he thinks he knows everything. And if you know everything, you are an idiot. You shouldn’t be a leader. A listener, a learner, always,” he said.
Saturday’s meeting appeared to signal a reconciliation between the two men after recent disagreements.
Fayose had earlier expressed disappointment that Obi allegedly failed to acknowledge his contributions to the 2023 presidential campaign.
He claimed to have made personal sacrifices, including making his hotel available to members of the Obidient Movement, without receiving any appreciation from the former Labour Party presidential candidate.
