President Bola Tinubu has appointed the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, as chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) Board.
The President also made 25 other appointments to 10 Federal Government agencies and commissions.
The appointments were contained in a statement on Monday by the president’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, all the appointments took immediate effect.
The statement read: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced 26 new appointments to 10 federal government agencies and commissions, with the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, emerging as chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), and Major General Junaid Bindawa as chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.”
“Fayose will head the board of REA, with Alhaji Ahmadu Abubakar and Engineer Ilyasu Ibrahim Makinta appointed as members and non-executive directors. The incumbent DG of the agency, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, and three executive directors previously appointed make up the remaining board members.”
However, Isaac Fayose, a younger brother of the former governor, has faulted the appointment, describing it as a “Greek gift.”
He urged the former governor to reject the REA chairmanship, saying he (Fayose) was too politically significant for such a role.
The younger Fayose made the remark in a video on his Instagram page on Monday, while reacting to the Presidency’s announcement that his brother had been appointed chairman of the REA board.
He contrasted the chairmanship with more senior positions he believed his brother deserved.
“They said they gave my brother a DG, DG, not a minister, not ambassador,” he remarked.
Isaac contended that the appointment fell short of his brother’s stature, adding, “They said they gave him DG, head of parastatal, chairman of a committee. They no see give him minister, they no give him ambassador.”
Drawing a comparison with a government critic-turned-appointee, he said, “Even Reno Omokri sef, they gave him ambassador. They couldn’t give my brother ambassador.”
Isaac linked the timing of the appointment to a weekend visit by former Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
“They gave my brother DG because Obi came on Saturday to visit me. So they said, no, we must enter that family. Why didn’t they give you appointment since? Why did they wait till Obi come?” he queried.
The younger Fayose then offered congratulations while telling the former governor to pass the position on instead.
“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 (You are a kingmaker),” he submitted.
