Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has revealed why he will not support President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, highlighting a growing political divergence within the Peoples Democratic Party.
Speaking during a media chat on Tuesday in Ibadan, the state capital, Makinde reflected on his early career, recalling that at the age of 29, he secured his first major contract with Mobil worth $1 million.
The governor stated that at a time when the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, had probably just left law school.
Makinde described the deal as a pivotal moment that shaped his rise in both business and politics.
“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, he said.
On his political differences with Wike, the governor said tensions with the FCT minister surfaced during a meeting with him (Wike), Tinubu, the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and other officials.
Makinde said Wike told the President he would “hold the PDP” for him ahead of the 2027 elections, saying that the statement left him shocked.
“The President did not ask him to do this; he volunteered. 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,” Makinde said.
Despite efforts to engage Wike, Makinde said the situation remained unchanged, prompting him to take a firm stance.
“I told him from that day that I would never be a part of this. Wike can support him, and that is within his right, but it is equally my right to decide who I will support and what role I will play in 2027,” he added.
Makinde’s comments highlight the deepening divisions within the PDP, with two key factions taking shape. One faction is led by Wike and is seen as leaning toward President Tinubu.
The other faction, led by Makinde, advocates for party autonomy and the preservation of multiparty democracy ahead of the 2027 elections.
