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Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has disclosed that he rejected a request by President Bola Tinubu to help coordinate the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, saying his loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not allow him to do so.
The governor made the revelation during a media chat on Tuesday in Ibadan, where he recounted discussions that followed earlier engagements with the president over the nomination of a minister from Oyo State after the formation of the federal cabinet.
Makinde explained that during one of those interactions, President Tinubu made a direct appeal to him, asking for his assistance in organising the APC in Oyo State.
“He said, ‘Seyi, it’s you that I want to help me organise APC in Oyo State,’” the governor recalled.
Makinde said he immediately turned down the request, making it clear that he could not act in a way that conflicted with his political affiliation.
“I told him, ‘no sir, I cannot help you organise APC in Oyo State because I am of the PDP,’” he said.
The governor also revealed that he was present at a meeting where the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, openly expressed his intention to support President Tinubu politically ahead of the 2027 elections.
Makinde said Wike made the declaration during a meeting attended by the president, his chief of staff and a few others, stating that he would “hold PDP” for Tinubu in 2027.
“I was in a meeting with the president and Wike. I’m saying this in an open chat. The president’s chief of staff was also in that meeting and a few others, and Wike said to the president that, ‘well, sir, I will hold PDP for you against 2027,’” he said.
Makinde admitted the remark caught him off guard, adding that he later questioned Wike about it privately.
“I was in shock. So we got up, we got to the verandah and I said, ‘Wike, did we agree to this?’” he added.
The governor stressed that while Wike was entitled to his personal political choices, he would not be part of any arrangement that undermines the opposition or weakens Nigeria’s democratic space.
He said Wike’s support for the president was within his rights, but added that those committed to preserving democracy must also be allowed to protect the opposition and prevent Nigeria from drifting towards a one-party state.
