Makinde Wike rift deepens as Oyo governor accuses Nyesom Wike of pledging to weaken the PDP for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday publicly addressed his rift with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, linking the fallout to an alleged plan to undermine the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of 2027.
Also read: Speaker Abbas congratulates Yari and Seyi Tinubu on Yoruba chieftaincy titles
Speaking during a media chat in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Makinde said the relationship collapsed after Wike allegedly declared his intention to “hold down” the PDP for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election.
Makinde said the statement was made during a meeting attended by President Tinubu, the President’s Chief of Staff, Wike and other officials.
According to him, the declaration was unsolicited and not endorsed by the President, describing the moment as shocking.
Seyi Makinde said he immediately confronted Nyesom Wike after the meeting and questioned whether such a position had been collectively agreed.
He explained that while Wike had the right to support President Tinubu in 2027, others were equally entitled to defend democracy and the survival of opposition parties.
Makinde stressed that the dispute centred on his refusal to participate in actions that could weaken the PDP or push Nigeria toward a one-party system.
The Oyo governor said subsequent efforts to persuade Wike to reconsider his stance failed, forcing a permanent breakdown in their relationship.
He added that his opposition hardened after confirming that President Tinubu never instructed Wike to make the pledge.
Makinde declared that he would not support Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election and admitted regretting his support for the President in 2023.
He warned that dismantling political pluralism could endanger democracy and provoke unpredictable public unrest.
“What Nigerians would show politicians and elites in 2027, we cannot imagine right now,” Makinde said.
Reacting, Wike’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, accused Makinde of political selfishness and disloyalty.
In a post on X, Olayinka alleged that Makinde’s political history showed repeated party switches driven by personal ambition.
He claimed Makinde joined the PDP G-5 governors solely to secure re-election in 2023 and would defect again after 2027.
Olayinka also accused Makinde of working against Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke during the 2022 governorship election.
Makinde dismissed the attacks and reaffirmed his stance against any effort to weaken opposition parties.
He criticised governors defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress, arguing that defections did not address hunger or public anger.
On the PDP leadership crisis, Makinde insisted the party had no faction and said its Ibadan convention was lawful.
He accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of acting in a one-sided manner during attempts to resolve the dispute.
Makinde said he was qualified to aspire to the presidency, citing his two-term governorship and professional background.
Also read: Speaker Abbas congratulates Yari and Seyi Tinubu on Yoruba chieftaincy titles
He concluded by saying his administration aimed to build strong institutions that would endure beyond physical infrastructure.
