I Will Not Support Tinubu In 2027, Says Makinde

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said he will not support President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that every politician has the right to make independent choices.

Makinde stated this on Tuesday during a media chat in Ibadan, where he expressed surprise over comments reportedly made by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that he would “hold the PDP” for Tinubu ahead of 2027.

According to the governor, he was present at a meeting attended by President Tinubu, Wike and other political leaders when Wike made the remark.

“I was shocked when Wike volunteered to hold the PDP for Tinubu in 2027. He can support the president if he wants, but I will not,” Makinde said.

He stressed that while Wike is free to support any candidate of his choice, others must also be allowed to take their own political positions without pressure.

Makinde said he initially tried to resolve the issue through a mutual friend but later confronted Wike directly when the situation did not change.

“From that moment, I made it clear that I would not be part of it. Wike can support Tinubu, but it is also my right to decide who I will support in 2027. This is part of what has caused the current crisis in the PDP,” he said.

Makinde, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also recalled telling President Tinubu that he could not help organise the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State when asked.

“I told the president clearly that I could not do that because I belong to the PDP,” he said, adding that his immediate focus is to protect the party and Nigeria’s democratic system.

Makinde said some politicians are determined to prevent Nigeria from sliding into a one-party state and to ensure the PDP remains strong.

Speaking on governance, the governor said his administration’s approach to poverty reduction is focused on empowerment rather than handouts.

“We are not about giving free money. We are about creating opportunities for people to work and succeed,” he said.

He cited the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SEFA) programme, under which vulnerable groups such as students, the elderly and persons with disabilities pay half the normal fare on the state-owned transport system.

According to him, the subsidy is designed to support productivity, as beneficiaries use the transport to engage in meaningful and income-generating activities.