Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has made it clear that he will not support President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, while urging the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to respect the political choices of others.
Speaking during a media briefing in Ibadan on Tuesday, Makinde said he was taken aback by reports that Wike had assured Tinubu of holding the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in his favour ahead of 2027.
“I was in a meeting with President Tinubu, Nyesom Wike, and others when Wike volunteered to hold the PDP for Tinubu against 2027, and I was in shock. Wike can support the president in 2027, but I will not,” Makinde said.
The governor, a PDP member, recalled telling the president he could not assist in building the All Progressives Congress (APC) structure in Oyo State. “I said, no, sir, I can never help you organise the APC in Oyo State because I am of the PDP,” he explained.
Makinde stressed that while Wike has the right to back Tinubu, others must also be allowed to make independent political decisions.
“The real issue is that Wike wants to support the President for 2027. That’s fine; it is within his rights. But some of us want to ensure that democracy survives in Nigeria and that the PDP survives as well. He should allow us to make our own choices,” he said.
He disclosed that efforts to resolve the disagreement quietly were unsuccessful, leading him to confront Wike directly. “I tried to engage him through a mutual friend, but when he did not back off, I confronted him directly. From that day, I made it clear I would never be part of this,” he said, adding that the situation explains the current tension within the PDP.
Makinde said his priority is safeguarding democracy and preventing Nigeria from sliding into a one-party system. “Some of us want to ensure that democracy survives in Nigeria. We don’t want to drift into a one-party state, and we want to ensure that the PDP survives,” he stated.
On governance, the governor said his administration is focused on empowering citizens rather than giving handouts as a way to reduce poverty.
“We will not give people handouts in Oyo State, but instead create a conducive environment for them to thrive,” he said.
He highlighted the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SEFA) programme, noting that subsidies are targeted at productivity.
“For about 20,000 people using our state transport system — including students, the elderly, and the physically challenged — they pay half the price. That money is subsidising productivity. You don’t get on the bus just because it’s cheaper; you get on it because you’re going somewhere important, likely to yield something productive,” Makinde explained.
Makinde and Wike both supported Tinubu in the 2023 elections, but his latest remarks underscore growing divisions within the PDP as the 2027 polls draw closer.