By RismadarVoice Media
December 23, 2025
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has explained his decision not to support President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election, citing concerns about the survival of democracy and the future of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Makinde spoke on Tuesday during a media chat at the Government House, Ibadan, where he addressed his political disagreement with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
According to the governor, the rift began after Wike allegedly told President Tinubu during a meeting that he would “hold the PDP” for him ahead of the 2027 election—a statement Makinde said was made without the consent of other PDP stakeholders.
“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,” Makinde said. “So, we got up, and I asked Wike, did we agree to this?”
Makinde said that while Wike has the right to support Tinubu’s re-election bid, other party members also have the right to protect the PDP and resist any move that could weaken democratic pluralism.
“The real issue is that Wike would like to support the President in 2027, that’s fine, it’s within his right to do that,” he said. “But also some of us that want democracy to survive in Nigeria, we don’t drift into a one-party state, and we want to ensure that PDP survives, he should also allow us to do our own thing.”
The Oyo State Governor stressed that President Tinubu did not ask Wike to make such a commitment on his behalf, describing the action as unsolicited.
“The President did not ask him; do this for me. He was the one who volunteered that I would do this,” Makinde stated.
He added that efforts to persuade Wike to reconsider his position were unsuccessful, prompting his decision to distance himself from the move.
