Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has asked FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to allow others make their political choices, insisting that, unlike his former ally, he won’t be supporting President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.
The governor spoke on Tuesday during a media chat in Ibadan, Oyo State, where he explained that Wike cannot dictate political choices to others.
Makinde, who recalled a meeting between him, Tinubu, and Wike, claimed that the former Rivers State governor told the president he would “hold the PDP” for him in 2027, expressed surprise at the minister’s comment.
“I was in a meeting with President Tinubu, Nyesom Wike, and others when Wike volunteered to hold the PDP for Tinubu against 2027, and I was in shock,” the governor said. “Wike can support the president in 2027, but I will not.”
The governor asked Wike to “allow us to make our choice” and said his immediate goal is to ensure that “PDP survives”.
Wike and Makinde, members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), supported Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 elections.
Both were members of the G5, which comprised five PDP governors as of then — Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Nyesom Wike (Rivers).
The group supported Tinubu after the then-PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, failed to step down for a southerner to replace him. They argued that since Atiku Abubakar, the party’s candidate for that election, is from the same region as Ayu, it was right for the former to step aside for another person.
But after the election, which was won by APC’s Tinubu, Wike’s relationship with Makinde has fractured. In fact, the PDP held its convention a few months back in Oyo and suspended Wike and other members.
The group, which enjoys Makinde’s backing, accused the former Rivers governor of anti-party activities, claims Wike and others have denied.
Wike has insisted he remains a member of the PDP and has repeatedly said he would back Tinubu in the next presidential election.
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