“I Wish I Hadn’t Backed Tinubu in 2023” — Makinde

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has admitted regretting his support for President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, acknowledging that his decision did not produce the results he had anticipated. The governor spoke on Tuesday at the Government House in Ibadan, providing a detailed account of his reasoning and the consequences of his actions.

Makinde was one of five Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, known as the G5, who openly opposed their party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in 2023. The group, led by then Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, argued that the PDP should have presented a southern presidential candidate, following the eight-year tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner. Their opposition was rooted in zoning considerations and concerns about regional representation.

The governor said his support for Tinubu, then the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was based on the belief that Tinubu would act in the national interest and bring together qualified leaders from across Nigeria to address pressing national issues. “I thought we’ll do what is right for the country. I believed the president would reset the country and bring competent individuals together,” Makinde said.

However, Makinde noted that the outcome has fallen short of his expectations. “Unfortunately, that is not what we’re seeing. I regret that action. Yes, I do,” he said, signaling that he would not offer Tinubu his support in the 2027 presidential election. He framed his reflection within the broader context of concerns about the survival of democracy and the future of the PDP.

The governor also addressed the source of his political disagreement with Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. He explained that tensions began after Wike, during a meeting with Tinubu, claimed he would “hold PDP” for the President ahead of 2027. Makinde said the statement was made without consulting other party stakeholders, prompting him to question Wike directly. “I asked Wike, did we agree to this?” he recalled.

Makinde emphasized that while Wike is entitled to support Tinubu’s re-election, other PDP members also have the right to protect the party and oppose any move that could undermine democratic pluralism. His remarks suggest a continued effort to defend the party’s interests while distancing himself from the APC and its leadership.