By Ayo Kehinde
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has admitted he regrets supporting President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, stating that the decision did not produce the outcome he had hoped for.
The governor also ruled out backing President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, explaining that his political rift with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is rooted in disagreements over the future of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the survival of multiparty democracy.
Makinde made the disclosure on Tuesday while speaking with journalists at the Government House in Ibadan, noting that his earlier support for Tinubu was driven by the belief that the President would govern in the national interest and bring together competent Nigerians to address the country’s challenges.
“I said it earlier, I’m human. I supported the current president, even though in another party at that time, because I thought we’ll do what is right for the country. But unfortunately, that is not what we’re seeing. I regret that action”, Makinde said.
The Oyo governor was one of five PDP governors popularly known as the G5, who worked against the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the 2023 election. The group, led by the then Rivers State Governor, Wike, opposed Atiku’s candidacy over zoning concerns, arguing that the party should have fielded a southern candidate after the eight-year tenure of former President, Muhammadu Buhari.
Makinde said his expectations that Tinubu would “reset the country” and strengthen national unity had not been met, adding that concerns over the future of democratic governance informed his decision not to support the President’s re-election bid in 2027.
He also revealed that his disagreement with Wike stemmed from a meeting involving President Tinubu, the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and other officials, where Wike allegedly told the President that he would “hold the PDP” for him ahead of the 2027 elections.
“I was in a meeting with the President and Wike and a few others, and Wike said to the President that I will hold PDP for you against 2027. So, we got up, and I asked Wike, did we agree to this?” Makinde alleged.
According to the governor, the statement was made without the consent of other PDP stakeholders, leaving him shocked and concerned about its implications for the party.
While acknowledging that Wike is entitled to support President Tinubu, Makinde insisted that other party leaders also have the right to protect the PDP and resist any move capable of weakening democratic pluralism.
“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”, he stated.
Makinde added that efforts to resolve the disagreement proved futile, prompting him to take a firm stance ahead of the 2027 elections.
