Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has disclosed that he is holding discussions with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi on the possibility of forming an opposition alliance to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election.
Makinde, who is the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), said he was reaching out to opposition leaders and political parties to explore areas of collaboration, insisting that the country's interest should take precedence over individual political ambitions.
The governor made this known during an interview with ARISE News on Friday, where he outlined his political plans, discussed his strained relationship with Tinubu and explained why he was seeking a broader opposition understanding ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
He described the forthcoming election as an opportunity for Nigerians to change the country's political direction, saying he was prepared to work with different political actors except the incumbent President.
“I'm currently engaging with Atiku Abubakar and Mr Peter Obi, telling them that this is our country. Even with the little time left before the election, we may still collaborate,” he said.
Makinde expressed confidence in Obi's capacity to lead the country, describing the former Anambra State governor as qualified for the presidency.
“Peter Obi is qualified to be president. I'm willing to work with any Nigerian except Tinubu,” he declared.
He said his engagement with opposition figures was driven by the need to identify a common political direction capable of addressing Nigeria's challenges rather than simply assembling politicians for electoral purposes.
Under his proposed Reset Nigeria agenda, Makinde said his priorities would include economic recovery, improved security, educational development and inclusive governance.
He added that any prospective alliance would be evaluated based on the political parties' manifestos, the records of their leaders in public office and the expectations of Nigerians.
The governor's overture to Obi and Atiku comes as opposition parties face mounting pressure to overcome internal divisions and agree on a common strategy capable of challenging the APC's electoral machinery.
Makinde also used the interview to explain the circumstances surrounding the breakdown of his relationship with Tinubu, whom he supported during the 2023 presidential election.
He said he could only speculate that his decision to seek the presidency might have created tension between them, suggesting that individuals around the President could have informed him about his political ambition.
“Well, I can only guess. Yes, please. You know, people talk a lot. Maybe some people went and told him, ‘Look, Seyi may likely run against you.’ I don't know. That may cause bad blood between us,” he said.
Makinde recalled that he supported Tinubu's emergence and helped mobilise votes for him in Oyo State in 2023 based on an understanding that a Government of National Unity would be established after the election.
“For me to support President Tinubu in 2023, we agreed on a Government of National Unity, and I thought he was going to honour that agreement,” he said.
He also recalled an encounter involving Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, during which the latter reportedly assured the President that he would retain control of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for him.
“We were with the President and the Minister of FCT. Wike knelt just by his side and told him that, ‘I will hold PDP for you’,” the governor said.
Makinde, who was part of the G5 governors that opposed Atiku's presidential ambition in 2023, insisted that he had no intention of contesting for president at the time.
He revealed that Atiku had previously approached him through his associates to become his running mate in the 2023 presidential election, but he rejected the proposal because he considered himself inexperienced in public service.
According to him, he had served only three years as governor and three years in public service and did not believe he had acquired sufficient experience to take on the responsibility.
“Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar had his people approach me to run with him, and I basically told them, ‘Look, I was only three years as a governor in Oyo State, and three years as a public servant. So it wasn't enough to take such a decision.’ So I said to them, ‘No, go look for someone else that can run’,” he said.
He maintained that his support for Wike during the PDP presidential primary was evidence that he was not pursuing a personal presidential ambition at the time.
The governor also defended the decision by his faction of the PDP to expel Wike, saying the action became necessary after the FCT minister openly declared his intention to hold the party for Tinubu.
He said the decision was taken to ensure that the PDP could participate in the electoral process, even if it meant going into the election with a weakened political structure.
Makinde expressed concern over the state of Nigeria's democracy, particularly the recurring legal disputes over political party leadership and the validity of candidates close to elections.
Questioning the situation, he asked: “Why? What kind of democracy is that?”
He further alleged that the Tinubu administration had attempted to blackmail him because he refused to defect to the APC, adding that he understood the political calculations behind the decision of some governors to join the ruling party.
On security, Makinde accused Tinubu of failing to contact him during the 56 days that schoolchildren and their teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State remained in captivity.
He said he had expected the President to show concern and contact him, given the seriousness of the incident.
“I tried to see the President when our students and our children and their teachers were kidnapped, because I thought if any part of Nigeria is going through such a challenge, the President should be interested. Actually, I expected the President to call me,” he said.
Asked whether Tinubu eventually reached out to him, Makinde answered in the negative.
“He did not. No. Till tomorrow,” he said.
He added that efforts to reach the President through the State Chief of Protocol were unsuccessful.
Makinde said his security agenda would prioritise decentralised decision-making and the establishment of state police, arguing that states should be empowered to develop security arrangements suited to their peculiar circumstances.
He, however, acknowledged concerns that state policing could be abused by governors and other political actors to intimidate political opponents or oppress residents.
He said adequate safeguards would therefore be necessary to prevent the proposed arrangement from becoming an instrument of political victimisation.
The governor also defended his earlier request for the United Nations to investigate the kidnapping in Oyo State, saying the circumstances surrounding the incident were unusual and required closer scrutiny.
He disclosed that a judicial panel established by his administration had completed its investigation and submitted its report, adding that a white paper on the findings would be released within the week.
Meanwhile, Makinde rejected allegations by the Oyo APC that he had abandoned governance in pursuit of his presidential ambition.
He argued that political engagement outside his state did not amount to neglect of official duties, pointing out that the President also travelled across the country for political activities.
He said his administration had continued to function effectively, citing the presentation of the 2027 budget estimates to the Oyo State House of Assembly and his state-of-the-state address.
“Oyo State is moving on. We have robust institutions, and I am not outside the country,” he said.
On the question of succession, the governor defended his support for former commissioner Bimbo Adekanbi, who has been tipped as his preferred successor.
He dismissed suggestions that the endorsement was an attempt to establish a political godfather structure, saying Adekanbi should be allowed to develop his own political identity and chart an independent course.
“I have told him severally, ‘Bimbo, don't inherit my enemies or opponents. Chart your own path.’ I am interested in good governance,” he said.
Makinde also insisted that he had no interest in becoming a political godfather, explaining that his experience in the private sector had influenced his approach to politics and governance.
“I came from a private background. This is my first public service job, and I enjoyed my life as a private person. Actually, I am a very shy and private person,” he added.
Leave a Reply