Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo State, has narrated how the rift between himself and Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), began.
The Oyo governor made the disclosure during a media chat at the Government House in Ibadan on Tuesday.
Makinde said the disagreement started after Wike told President Bola Tinubu that he would “hold PDP” for him ahead of 2027 without consulting other party leaders.
“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; I was in shock,” he said.
“So, we got up, and I asked Wike, did we agree to this?
“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.
“But also, some of us who want democracy to survive in Nigeria, we don’t want to drift into a one-party state, and we want to ensure that PDP survives; he should also allow us to do our own thing.”
Makinde said Tinubu did not ask Wike to make such a commitment on his behalf.
“The President did not ask him; do this for me. He was the one who volunteered that I would do this,” the governor said.
He said efforts to persuade Wike to reverse his stance were unsuccessful.
Makinde was part of the G5 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the build-up to the 2023 presidential election.
The group, led by Wike, opposed the PDP presidential ticket because the candidate and the party’s national chairman came from the same region.
Despite Oyo being governed by the PDP, Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the presidential election in the state.
Makinde later fell out with Wike following disagreements over the party’s direction ahead of the 2027 elections.
‘I WON’T SUPPORT TINUBU’S RE-ELECTION BID’
Makinde, while citing concerns about the future of democracy in the country, said he will not support the re-election of the president in 2027.
The Oyo governor said his refusal to support Tinubu’s 2027 bid is based on his right to make independent political choices.
“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.