JUST IN: Oyo Governor Makinde Holds Closed-Door Meeting with Tinubu

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Thursday held a private meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The meeting was held behind closed doors. Details of the discussion were not immediately disclosed as of the time this report was filed.

Makinde arrived at the State House shortly after Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang. Mutfwang had earlier met with the President before Makinde was ushered into the President’s office.

Makinde is a key figure within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was also a prominent member of the G5 governors who openly opposed the PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The G5 governors argued that power should return to the South after the eight-year tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari from the North. This position influenced their political decisions during the last general election.

Aside from Makinde, other members of the G5 included former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia.

Makinde later worked in support of Tinubu’s emergence as President in 2023. However, relations within the G5 have since deteriorated, especially between Makinde and Wike, who currently serves as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

The Oyo governor recently shed light on the cause of the fallout. He disclosed that tensions began after Wike allegedly made a political commitment to President Tinubu without consulting other PDP stakeholders.

Makinde said the incident happened during a meeting involving the President, Wike, and other political figures.

“I was in a meeting with the President and Wike and a few others, and Wike said to the President that I will hold PDP for you against 2027,” Makinde said.

“So, we got up, and I asked Wike, did we agree to this?”

Makinde explained that while Wike has the right to support Tinubu’s re-election ambition, he does not have the authority to speak for the entire PDP.

He stressed that protecting the survival of opposition parties is critical to Nigeria’s democracy.

“The real issue is that Wike would like to support the President in 2027, that’s fine, it’s within his right to do that,” he said.

“But also some of us that want democracy to survive in Nigeria, we don’t drift into a one-party state, and we want to ensure that PDP survives, he should also allow us to do our own thing,” he added.

Makinde further clarified that President Tinubu did not request such a commitment from Wike.

“The President did not ask him; do this for me, he was the one who volunteered that I would do this,” Makinde said.

According to the governor, efforts to reverse Wike’s position failed, forcing him to completely distance himself from the move.

“After he didn’t back off, I told him from that day that I would never be part of this,” he said.

Makinde reaffirmed that his political decisions ahead of the 2027 elections would remain independent.

“That is why I will never support the President for 2027. Wike can support him; it is within his right, but it is also within my right within the political space to determine who I will support or what I will do in 2027,” he added.

However, the purpose of Makinde’s latest meeting with President Tinubu remains unclear.