Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has emphatically stated that he will not be endorsing President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 general elections. This significant declaration was made during a media chat held at the Government House in Ibadan on Tuesday, where Governor Makinde also shed light on the developing political divergence between himself and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Governor Makinde clarified his political position, asserting his personal choice for the upcoming presidential elections and explicitly ruling out support for the incumbent president. “I have my own choice as well, and I will never support the president for 2027,” Makinde declared, underscoring his firm stance.

A central point of contention highlighted by Makinde was an unsolicited pledge made by Minister Wike during a high-level meeting. According to Makinde, Wike volunteered to “hold the PDP” for President Tinubu in 2027 without any prior consultation or agreement. The meeting included President Tinubu, Wike, the president’s Chief of Staff, and other senior officials. Makinde recounted his shock at Wike’s declaration: “The real issue was that I was in a meeting with the president and Wike and the president’s chief of staff, and a few others were there. Wike told the president that he will hold PDP for him in 2027. I was in shock.”

Makinde further emphasized that Wike’s commitment was entirely voluntary, stating that President Tinubu had not solicited such support. Upon arriving at the venue for the meeting, Makinde recalled confronting Wike, asking, “Did we agree on this?” He reiterated that while Wike is free to support the president, it was a personal decision not requested by Tinubu himself.

Reflecting on his early career, Makinde brought out a contract document to illustrate his background, noting that he earned $1 million from his first contract with Mobil in 1997 at the age of 29. He contrasted this with Wike’s career path, mentioning that Wike had just completed law school around the same time and later became a local government chairman. Despite these observations, Makinde stressed that his comments were not personal but strictly political. “I don’t beef anybody,” he affirmed, clarifying that the dispute is ideological and not driven by personal animosity.

Following Wike’s surprising pledge, Makinde initially decided to observe Wike’s actions, hoping he might reconsider. However, he noted that Wike did not retract his statement. “I told a mutual friend, let’s just watch him and see if he backs off, but he did not back off,” the governor concluded, indicating a solidified rift in their political alignment.