Tinubu, Fayemi and Obi exchanging pleasantries at the VaticaniI Credit Bayo Onanuga
Former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has revealed that he persuaded Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to approach President Bola Tinubu for a handshake at the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City last May.
Fayemi made the disclosure in an interview on Edmund Obilo’s YouTube channel which was uploaded on Thursday, saying Obi had initially hesitated over fears the encounter would be misrepresented in the media.
The meeting had first come to public attention on 18 May 2025, when presidential aide Bayo Onanuga shared photographs of the three men on X during the ceremony.
Onanuga said Fayemi spotted Tinubu seated among other world leaders and urged Obi to join him in greeting the president. “Fayemi sighted President Tinubu, where he sat with other leaders and asked Obi to follow him to pay homage to the Nigerian leader. Obi agreed,” he posted.
