Former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has disclosed how he convinced Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to greet President Bola Tinubu during the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican.
Fayemi made the revelation during an interview on *State Affairs*, a podcast hosted by Edmund Obilo. He said Obi initially hesitated because he feared the interaction could be misrepresented publicly.
According to Fayemi, both men attended the papal inauguration as Catholics and were seated a few rows behind the Nigerian president during the ceremony.
He explained that the moment began after Foreign Affairs Minister Bianca Ojukwu approached them to exchange greetings on behalf of the presidential delegation.
Fayemi said he then suggested that they also greet the president.
“Peter had concerns that the encounter could be misused in the media,” Fayemi said. “But I told him that regardless of politics, Tinubu was representing Nigeria at the event and deserved the courtesy.”
He added that Obi eventually agreed, and both men approached the president together.
Fayemi recalled that Tinubu responded humorously after being welcomed to the Vatican, telling them he should instead be the one welcoming them as head of the Nigerian delegation.
Obi, according to Fayemi, acknowledged Tinubu’s position and thanked him for attending the event.
The interaction first became public in May 2025 after presidential aide Bayo Onanuga shared photographs from the Vatican ceremony on X.
The images generated mixed reactions online, particularly among supporters of both politicians following the 2023 presidential election.
Fayemi and Obi are both Papal Knights and longtime members of the Catholic Church. The two politicians had also attended the inauguration of Pope Francis in 2013 while serving as governors.
Meanwhile, Obi supporter Obiasogu David criticised Fayemi’s comments, accusing the former governor of using Obi’s name to attract public attention.
