Former Ekiti State governor Kayode Fayemi has revealed that he persuaded Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to approach President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a handshake during the inauguration ceremony of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican in May 2025.
Fayemi made the disclosure during an interview on Edmund Obilo’s YouTube channel uploaded on Thursday, explaining that Obi was initially reluctant to greet Tinubu because he feared the interaction could be misrepresented publicly.
The meeting first attracted national attention on May 18, 2025, after presidential aide Bayo Onanuga shared photographs showing Tinubu, Fayemi, and Obi exchanging pleasantries during the papal inauguration ceremony held at the Vatican.
According to Fayemi, he and Obi attended the event as Catholics and had earlier shared breakfast with Cardinal Lazarus before proceeding to the inauguration venue.
He explained that both of them were seated about four rows behind the Nigerian president before members of the presidential delegation arrived.
Fayemi further revealed that Bianca Ojukwu first walked over from the presidential delegation to greet them, creating the opportunity for him to suggest that Obi should also greet Tinubu.
According to Fayemi, Obi initially hesitated over fears that the meeting might be politically interpreted or misrepresented in public, but later agreed to approach the president.
Photos from the encounter later circulated widely across social media platforms, sparking political discussions and reactions among Nigerians over the significance of the meeting between the prominent political figures.
The revelation has continued to generate conversations online, especially among supporters of both political camps, with many interpreting the gesture as a sign of political maturity and civility despite differences in political affiliation.