Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared that he will not support President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election, while calling on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to allow others make their own political choices.
Makinde spoke on Tuesday, December 23, 2025 during a media chat in Ibadan, where he expressed surprise over reports that Wike had promised to “hold the PDP” for President Tinubu ahead of 2027.
The governor said the issue came up during a meeting he attended with President Tinubu, Wike and other political leaders, a development he said left him shocked.
“I was in a meeting with President Tinubu, Nyesom Wike and others when Wike volunteered to hold the PDP for Tinubu against 2027, and I was in shock,” Makinde said. “Wike can support the president in 2027, but I will not.”
Makinde, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), recalled telling the president clearly that he could not help to organise the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State.
“I told the president that I can never help to organise the APC in Oyo State because I am of the PDP,” he said.
The governor stressed that while Wike has the right to support any candidate of his choice, others should also enjoy the same freedom within the political space.
“The real issue is that Wike wants to support the president for 2027, and that is fine,” Makinde said. “But some of us want to ensure that democracy survives in Nigeria and that the PDP also survives. He should allow us to make our own choices.”
Makinde explained that the disagreement between himself and Wike, which became more visible in November during internal party engagements and consultations, is rooted in differing views about the future of the PDP.
“I tried to engage him through a mutual friend, but when he did not back off, I confronted him directly,” he said. “From that day, I made it clear that I would never be part of this. Wike can support the president, but it is also my right to decide who I will support in 2027.”
He added that his immediate focus is to protect democracy and prevent Nigeria from drifting towards a one-party system.
“Some of us want to ensure that democracy survives and that Nigeria does not become a one-party state,” Makinde said. “We also want to ensure that the PDP survives, and we should be allowed to do our own thing.”
Shifting attention to governance, Makinde also spoke about his administration’s strategy for tackling poverty in Oyo State. He said his government prefers creating opportunities rather than sharing handouts.
“We will not give people handouts in Oyo State,” he said. “We will create an enabling environment for people to thrive.”
He cited the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SEFA) programme as an example, noting that it supports productivity through targeted subsidies.
“For about 20,000 users of our state transport system, including students, the elderly and persons with disabilities, fares are reduced by half,” Makinde explained. “This is not free money. It is support for productivity because people use the buses to go somewhere meaningful, likely to earn a living.”
Makinde and Wike were both part of the group of PDP governors who supported Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election. However, his latest remarks highlight deepening divisions within the PDP as political alignments and ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections continue to take shape.
