Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has disclosed the main reason behind his disagreement with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, linking it to comments about the 2027 presidential election.
Makinde made the revelation during a media interaction with selected journalists on Tuesday, where he explained that the issue arose after Wike openly declared his intention to support President Bola Tinubu in 2027 while still laying claim to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
“Within one year, I made $1 million in my pocket. I was 29 in 1997. Wike, perhaps at that time, had just left law school, and his next job was as a local government chairman. I don’t beef anybody,” Makinde said.
He recalled a meeting attended by President Tinubu, Wike and the President’s Chief of Staff, describing it as the moment that triggered his concerns.
“The real issue is that I was with President Tinubu and Wike, and I’m saying this in open chat. The President Chief of Staff was also in that meeting. Wike said he would hold PDP for President Tinubu in 2027. I was in shock,” he stated.
Makinde said he later confronted Wike privately over the comment, questioning whether such a decision had been collectively agreed upon.
“So when we got up to the verander I asked him, ‘Wike, did we agree to this’?” he said.
While acknowledging Wike’s right to support any candidate of his choice, Makinde stressed that his own priority was the survival of democracy and the opposition party.
“He wants to support the president in the 2027 elections. That’s fine. It’s his right to do that. Some of us that want to ensure that democracy survives in Nigeria, we won’t drift into one-party state and we want to make sure that PDP survives,” Makinde added.
