Makinde Meets Tinubu Weeks After Rejecting 2027 Re-election Backing

 

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Thursday held a closed-door meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, weeks after publicly ruling out support for the President’s re-election bid in 2027.

Photos of the meeting were shared by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who described the engagement as a private discussion between the two leaders at the State House.

Makinde, a second-term governor and prominent member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had in December distanced himself from any political arrangement aimed at backing President Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

During a media interaction at the Government House in Ibadan, the governor had taken a swipe at the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over comments suggesting plans to “hold down” the PDP in favour of Tinubu ahead of 2027.

According to Makinde, the President did not solicit such political support, stressing that Wike’s declaration was a personal initiative.

“Wike can support the President in 2027, but I will not,” Makinde had said at the time.

However, speaking with State House correspondents after Thursday’s meeting, the Oyo governor dismissed speculations of political realignment, insisting that the visit was strictly focused on governance.

“The President is the President of Nigeria, not the President of the APC. What we discussed were governance issues,” Makinde said.

He explained that national challenges such as insecurity and poverty required bipartisan cooperation, noting that effective leadership transcends party boundaries.

Asked if he was considering defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Makinde said he remained comfortable in the PDP, adding that Nigeria’s current realities demand collaboration across party lines.

“Politics is politics, but Nigeria is a project that concerns all of us. There are issues that have no party colour, and leaders must work together to improve the welfare of the people,” he said.

Makinde further described his relationship with President Tinubu as cordial, despite belonging to different political parties, stressing the need for continuous consultation in the national interest.