2023 Presidential Poll: Makinde Says Backing Tinubu Was a Mistake

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has admitted that he regrets supporting President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, saying the decision failed to deliver the national turnaround he anticipated.

Makinde made the remarks on Tuesday while addressing journalists at the Government House in Ibadan.

The governor was one of five Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors, known as the G5, who openly opposed their party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, during the 2023 elections. The group, led by former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, rejected Atiku’s candidacy over zoning concerns, insisting that the PDP should have fielded a southern candidate after former President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure.

Explaining his decision, Makinde said he supported Tinubu, then the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, because he believed it was in the country’s best interest.

“I said it earlier, I’m human. I supported the current president, even though in another party at that time, because I thought we’ll do what is right for the country,” he said.

Makinde added that he expected Tinubu to “reset the country” by assembling competent Nigerians from across regions to tackle national challenges.

“But unfortunately, that is not what we’re seeing. I regret that action. Yes, I do,” he stated.

The governor also said concerns about the survival of democracy and the future of the PDP informed his decision not to support Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

Makinde further explained the source of his political fallout with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. According to him, the disagreement arose after Wike allegedly told Tinubu during a meeting that he would “hold PDP” for the president ahead of the 2027 polls, without consulting other party stakeholders.

“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?”

He stressed that while Wike has the right to support Tinubu’s re-election bid, other PDP members are equally entitled to defend the party and resist actions that could undermine democratic pluralism.

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