Musiliu Obanikoro, the former Minister of State for Defence, has provided context regarding his past description of Babatunde Fashola as a toy governor. During the 2007 Lagos State governorship race, Obanikoro publicly stated that the state required a leader with more substance than a toy governor.
This comment was made after Obanikoro transitioned to the Peoples Democratic Party, driven by his belief that Fashola functioned as a political surrogate for Bola Tinubu. Speaking on the Mic On Podcast, Obanikoro emphasized their personal connection as natives of Isale Eko but maintained his past stance was based on political qualifications.
Obanikoro explained that he viewed himself as the more seasoned candidate at the time, citing his previous tenures as a local government chair, commissioner, and senator. He noted that his criticism stemmed from the fact that Fashola lacked prior electoral experience, having previously served only as a Chief of Staff.
