Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has launched a sharp political and personal attack against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, declaring that he would not support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Makinde, who made the remarks during a live media chat at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, yesterday, accused the former Rivers State governor of working to weaken the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from within.
Makinde recounted a meeting attended by President Tinubu, Wike and others. He alleged that during the meeting, Wike volunteered to ‘hold the PDP’ for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections, a statement Makinde said shocked him. He clarified that the President did not ask Wike to make such a pledge.
Makinde stressed that while Wike is free to support Tinubu, he has chosen not to do so and believes every individual should be allowed to make their own political choices. He warned that attempts by agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government to weaken or destroy the PDP could have unintended consequences, including the erosion of Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
He called on all democrats to resist any plot to impose a one-party system on the country.
During the same media interaction, the governor said he possesses more than enough experience to serve as Nigeria’s president if called upon in 2027.
In a pointed comparison of his early professional life with that of Wike, the Oyo State Governor said he began earning money at the multinational level long before the FCT minister started practising law.
He disclosed that at the age of 29, he was already earning millions of dollars while working with multinational oil companies. According to him, this was at a time Wike ‘had probably just finished law school.’
The governor recalled that he secured a landmark $1 million contract with oil giant, Mobil, at that age, a breakthrough he described as a defining moment in his career.
“That contract changed my mindset. It gave me confidence as an entrepreneur and shaped my outlook long before I ventured into public service.”
Beyond personal history, Makinde linked his comments to what he described as fundamental political differences with Wike, particularly over the former Rivers State Governor’s growing alignment with President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.
Governor Makinde alleged that Wike’s actions were part of a broader strategy to undermine the PDP, especially in Oyo State and other opposition-controlled areas.
According to Makinde, the tensions became explicit during a meeting in Abuja attended by President Tinubu, Wike, the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila and other senior government officials. Makinde claimed that during the meeting, Wike openly told President Tinubu that he would hold the PDP for him ahead of the next election cycle.
“I was shocked,” Makinde said. “The President did not ask him to do this. He volunteered.”
He added that he immediately confronted Wike, insisting that such a move was not part of any prior understanding before the meeting with the president.
The Oyo Governor stressed that while Wike was free to make his political choices, he had no right to impose those choices on others within the party.
“Wike is within his rights to support Tinubu. But, those of us who want to ensure the survival of multiparty democracy and the PDP should also be allowed to make our own decisions.”
He disclosed that efforts to resolve the disagreement through dialogue failed, forcing him to take what he described as a principled stand.
“I told him (Wike) from that day that I would never be part of this. He can support whoever he wants and that is his right. It is equally my right to decide who I will support and what role I will play in 2027.”
Makinde also used the occasion to make it clear that he would not back President Tinubu’s re-election bid, drawing a firm political line between himself and Wike.
His comments further exposed widening cracks within the PDP, where internal disagreements have intensified since the 2023 general elections.
Responding to questions about his political future, Makinde said his qualifications for the nation’s highest office were not in doubt, pointing to his record as Governor of Oyo State.
He argued that executive experience at the state level has historically prepared leaders for the presidency, citing President Tinubu’s own path from being Governor of Lagos State to the presidency. Makinde also highlighted his professional background outside politics, noting that he successfully ran a private company from the age of 29.
“I have also heard people saying, ‘Oh, is Seyi trying to position himself for the 2027 presidency?’ Let me make this very clear: to serve this country at the highest level, I am qualified. I am even overqualified. I have run Oyo State. Even the current president, what brought him to the table? He was Governor of Lagos State. By the end of May 2027, by God’s grace, God sparing my life, I would have completed two tenures as Governor of Oyo State. Professionally, I ran a company from a very young age, at 29,” he said.
He also spoke about the legacy he wants his administration to leave behind, saying he hopes to be remembered for the institutions his government is building rather than for physical projects alone. According to him, the focus is on creating systems that will ensure good governance, sustainable development and growth long after his tenure.
He explained that infrastructure on its own does not guarantee a lasting legacy unless projects are completed and embedded within strong institutions. Using the example of a major ring road, he noted that once such projects are completed, people often forget who initiated them, while unfinished projects tend to be remembered more vividly. He added that his administration prioritises creating opportunities and a conducive environment for citizens to improve their lives, rather than relying on handouts.
On the Ibadan Circular Road project, he defended his administration against allegations of land grabbing linked to the 500-metre corridor of the Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road. He explained that the land corridor was officially gazetted on November 19, 2018, several months before his administration assumed office in May 2019 and that what his government did was to commence work on the legally sanctioned project.
He said the 110-kilometre circular road is designed to ease traffic flow around Ibadan, a city experiencing rapid population growth and to prevent future congestion similar to that of Lagos. He described the corridor as part of a modern motorway standard and as an industrial and commercial corridor aimed at helping Oyo State transition from a consumptive to a productive economy.
On compensation, the governor said his administration was adopting a humane approach by offering payments even to residents without formal land documentation, provided they can show proof of residence, to enable them to resettle elsewhere.
Credit: The Sun