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The ambition of the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to run for the presidency in 2027 is causing some disquiet within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Southern Governors Forum (SGF), NewMailNG learnt.. CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
This is because the move by Makinde has been intensified to the extent that some bigwigs within his party are beginning to see reasons and falling in line with the idea.
Information at the disposal of our correspondents shows that the governor has taken a bold step by informing his colleagues at the SGF and some party stalwarts of his ambition to seek the PDP’s presidential ticket and run against President Bola Tinubu in the general election.
Sources close to the Forum informed our correspondent that Makinde’s joker is to insist that, since a Yoruba man is the one at the saddle, it is only right that another Yoruba replace Tinubu in 2027.
One of the sources, who happens to be a commissioner in one of the Southwest states, further revealed that the idea has become like a political gospel within the Southwest PDP, noting that that is among the reasons the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is at loggerheads with the Oyo governor.
He said, “Makinde is as good as running; he has perfected his strategy. He has already told his colleagues at the Southern Governors Forum that he wants to run. Even the PDP hierarchy is aware of his ambition. Why do you think Wike is fighting him? One of the reasons is because of Makinde’s presidential ambition.
“His joker is a good strategy. He is saying that, because Tinubu is a Yoruba man, it is only fair that another Yoruba man replace him in 2017. The Yoruba race must complete the eight years that the constitution approves.
“We won’t allow what they did to the South-South happen to us in the South West. If they don’t want Tinubu again, then all the political parties must produce Yoruba candidates. If the South South had replaced former President Goodluck Jonathan with another of their own in 2015, they would have completed two terms”, he noted.
But a former official of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said linking the leadership crisis in the party to the 2027 presidency is far from the truth.
The chieftain, who spoke on condition of anonymity, admitted that some second-term governors may be nursing presidential ambition: “Our party is too big to be controlled by one man.”
The source, a former national officer of the party, said such is the sentiment of those who don’t want peace to return to the party.
He wondered why such sentiment was not expressed when the party was insisting that North Central should be allowed to serve out Iyorchia Ayu’s tenure.
“What we are saying is that due process should be followed and the constitution of our party must be followed.
“The Supreme Court said political parties are the ones to determine their leadership. The leaders of our party have spoken; their decision has to be respected.
“Governor Seyi Makinde has the constitutional right to aspire to any office in the country, including the presidency, but nobody should attribute his ambition to what it is not,” he argued.
Another source argued that the crisis was orchestrated to weaken the PDP so that it would not be strong enough to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s reelection in 2027.
According to him, what Makinde and other PDP leaders are fighting for is the survival of democracy.
The leader of Arewa Summit International, Dr. Bashir Lamido, has called on the South West to produce all presidential candidates for the 2027 elections while advocating that the South East should take the same opportunity in 2031.
Speaking during a political dialogue on zoning and national cohesion held in Abuja on Friday, Dr. Lamido emphasised that this rotational approach would promote unity, fairness, and long-term political stability across Nigeria.
“For the sake of equity, national integration, and the stability of our democracy, we believe the Southwest should present all presidential candidates in 2027. Then, come 2031, the Southeast—which has long awaited its turn—should be given the full platform to produce the next president,” Lamido stated.
Arewa Summit International, under Dr. Lamido’s leadership, has become a leading northern-based political think tank known for its pan-Nigerian vision and commitment to bridging regional divides.
He further stressed that the proposal is not about excluding any group but rather about setting a national precedent for justice and inclusion.
“This is not just about politics. It’s about healing, trust-building, and showing every Nigerian that they belong to the same nation. People may ask, what about the North? It should be the turn of the North in 2031. They forget that the North has spent more years leading the country than any other region.
“It is just right to balance the leadership across the regions. We are only hoping that in 2031, the Southeast should be extended the same national compliments as we are hopeful to do for the Southwest in 2027,” he said.
However, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has declared that Muslims would not vote for Makinde in 2027. The group advised political parties to avoid picking the governor while accusing Makinde of targeting Muslim places of worship for demolition and conversion into fun grounds and naming them after himself.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday, 29th May, 2027, by the Executive Director of the Islamic human rights organization, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
“Political activities have started again as the 2027 general elections approach. Interested candidates for various positions have started identifying themselves while support groups are springing up.
“However, we note with deep concern that one of these support groups has solicited for the nomination of the governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, as the presidential candidate of a major opposition party in the 2027 presidential election.
“While we are not allergic to having accommodating, tolerant, and generally moderate Christian candidates coming up for any position, MURIC would like to affirm that Nigerian Muslims, North and South, will not vote for Makinde. This is because he has openly and arrogantly displayed himself as an anti-Muslim leader. Political parties are therefore advised not to dissipate energy on him.
“The sins of Makinde against Muslims of Oyo State in particular and Nigerian Muslims in general are many. We warned him at the time, but he was power-drunk. Despite several appeals, Governor Seyi Makinde demolished Adogba Central Mosque, Iwo Road, in the year 2020. He renamed the mosque after himself when it was rebuilt in 2023
“Olore Central Mosque came under demolition threat. He seized the only praying ground used by Muslims in Bodija (Bodija Muslim Praying Ground) and turned it into a recreation centre. Under Makinde’s watch, Muslim children in schools were forced to attend Christian evangelical revivals addressed by foreign pastors. Muslim students were forced to sing Christmas carols.
“Makinde removed his deputy governor, Rauf Olaniyan, who was a committed Muslim, because he saw the latter as a threat to his Christianisation agenda in the state. He also pursued a deliberate policy of replacing Muslim traditional rulers with Christians by rejecting Muslim nominees in Oyo, Ogbomosho, etc.
“This governor appointed six chairmen of governing boards, but only one of them is a Muslim. He appointed 34 board members, but only 15 are Muslims. He also appointed 10 Christians as commissioners and gave Muslims only six.
“If given the keys of Aso Rock, Makinde will find some excuse to demolish the National Mosque, rebuild it and name it after himself. He is bad news for Muslims. While we do not write off a Christian as president, a viciously intolerant Christian is the last occupant we need at the villa. Any political party that fields Seyi Makinde as a presidential candidate is dead on arrival.”CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
