2015 Elections: APC’s victory was fitting to Fayemi’s hard work and teamwork, Tinubu says in 60th Birthday Tribute

By Kunle Sanni

President Bola Tinubu has lauded former Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi for what he described as his pivotal role in the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) landmark victory in the 2015 general elections, marking a turning point in Nigerian politics.

Speaking in a birthday tribute on the occasion of Fayemi’s 60th birthday held last week, President Tinubu credited the former governor’s leadership and strategic vision for helping the APC overcome the long-dominant Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who he said had vowed to rule Nigeria for 60 unbroken years.

Background

Since the beginning of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic in 1999, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dominated the country’s political landscape, winning four consecutive presidential elections.

The party remained in power for 16 years, with Olusegun Obasanjo (1999–2007), Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (2007–2010), and Goodluck Jonathan (2010–2015) as presidents.

However, ahead of the 2015 general elections, opposition parties merged to form APC in 2013.

This coalition brought together key political figures, including Muhammadu Buhari, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Kayode Fayemi, among others.

In the 2015 presidential election, APC’s candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, defeated incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP—marking the first time in Nigeria’s history that a sitting president lost re-election.

In his address, President Tinubu recalled the intense political landscape of the pre-2015 era, emphasizing that Fayemi’s contributions were a “fitting reward for the hard work, teamwork, and capacity” demonstrated by him and other members of the party’s campaign council.

Tinubu highlighted Fayemi’s instrumental role as chairman of the presidential primary panel in Lagos—a process that culminated in the selection of Muhammadu Buhari as the APC’s candidate.

He further noted that Fayemi’s tenure as the Director of Policy for the APC/Buhari Campaign Council was key to orchestrating the strategies that led to the party’s historic win.

Reflecting on a long-standing relationship forged during their shared days in the pro-democracy movement of the 1990s, Tinubu recalled the challenges they faced during Nigeria’s military regime.

He praised Fayemi for his contributions to Nigeria’s democratic development, including the establishment of the Centre for Democracy and Development and the launch of Radio Kudirat, which played a crucial role in galvanizing pro-democracy sentiments during General Sani Abacha’s oppressive rule.

Beyond his contributions to the party’s electoral success, Tinubu lauded Fayemi’s leadership as a two-term governor of Ekiti State and his service as a Minister under the Buhari administration.

Describing him as an “able lieutenant, invaluable ally, and committed patriot,” Tinubu underscored the depth of Fayemi’s impact on the nation’s political landscape.