Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde used a media chat on Tuesday, December 23, 2025 to explain the causes of his fallout with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and to lay out his position on the 2027 presidential race — including his stance toward President Bola Tinubu.
From his remarks, three key lessons stand out:
1. Wike Allegedly Told Tinubu He Would “Hold the PDP” for 2027
The central issue Makinde highlighted was a meeting in Abuja between himself, President Tinubu, Wike, and others.
File photo of Seyi Makinde and Nyesom Wike
Makinde said he was taken aback when Wike told President Tinubu:
“I will hold the PDP for you against 2027.”
The governor described the declaration as unsolicited and not agreed upon by other party stakeholders.
“I was in shock,” Makinde said.
“The real issue is that Wike would like to support the President for 2027 — that is fine; it is within his right to do that. But some of us want to ensure that democracy survives and we don’t drift into a one-party state. We also want to ensure that the PDP survives, and he should allow us to do our own thing.”
Makinde added that subsequent efforts to get Wike to rethink the pledge failed, further deepening the divide between them.
2. Makinde Regrets Supporting Tinubu in the 2023 Election
In the same interview, Makinde revisited his controversial past decision to back Bola Tinubu in the 2023 presidential race, which he joined alongside four other PDP governors known as the G5.
G5 governors in 2023
Explaining his reasoning at the time, he said:
“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,” Makinde said.
“Unfortunately, that is not what we’re seeing. I regret that action. Yes, I do.”
Makinde’s candid admission is significant because it underscores a shift in his political calculus, from supporting a rival party’s candidate to emphasising party loyalty and democratic plurality going forward.
3. Makinde’s Own Political Future
Makinde drew a firm line on his own 2027 choices. Citing his disapproval of Wike’s approach and his concerns about the future of Nigeria’s multiparty democracy, he said: “That is why I will never support the President for 2027.”
“Wike can support him; it is within his right, but it is also within my right, within the political space to determine who I will support or what I will do in 2027,” he continued.
While he has not explicitly announced a presidential bid, the governor’s comments suggested that he is positioning himself as an independent voice ahead of the 2027 polls — one grounded in opposition to what he sees as attempts to weaken the PDP or collapse Nigeria’s multiparty system.
Some analysts interpret Makinde’s emphasis on democratic survival and party preservation as laying the groundwork for a larger political role, while others say it is first about defending the PDP against internal fragmentation.
