Former Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has denied reports claiming that he held a closed-door meeting with former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, at his Abuja residence.
Fayemi, immediate past Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, dismissed the report in a statement issued by the Head of his Media Office, Ahmad Sajoh, on Thursday, describing the claim as false and urging the public to disregard it.
The report, which circulated on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, was shared by several social media handles alongside an old video clip showing Fayemi greeting Kwankwaso at his residence.
According to the statement, the former Ekiti governor had met Kwankwaso only once in the past year and not in any private political setting.
“Dr Fayemi has only met Senator Kwankwaso once in the last year, and that occasion was at the public book launch of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN,” the statement said.
It added that, “At no time has Dr Fayemi held, or is he holding, any closed-door political meeting with Senator Kwankwaso as suggested by the post.”
The former governor acknowledged that he and Kwankwaso have been friends since their time as governors, but stressed that their relationship is personal and non-partisan.
He noted that the friendship is “based on mutual respect and a shared commitment to the progress of Nigeria, rather than on any political alignment.”
Fayemi also cautioned against attempts by political actors to attach partisan interpretations to private relationships, noting that many of his friends and associates are either not involved in partisan politics or belong to different political persuasions.
The statement added that Fayemi’s associates “span the entire spectrum of Nigeria’s political terrain.”
It, therefore, reaffirmed the former governor’s commitment to national unity, principled engagement, and responsible public discourse.
