Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has launched a sharp critique against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT Minister), Barrister Nyesom Wike, asserting his own substantial financial achievements at a young age, contrasting them with Wike's reported professional stage at the time. This public disagreement underscores a deepening divide between the two influential politics figures, both pivotal players in the 2023 Presidential election cycle.
Governor Makinde's Early Financial Triumph
During a recent media interaction held in Ibadan, Governor Seyi Makinde detailed his impressive early career success. He recounted securing a lucrative contract valued at $1 million from the oil giant Mobil when he was just 29 years old in 1997. "Makinde said, "Within one year, I made $1 million in my pocket. I was 29 in 1997." He then drew a comparison, noting, "Wike, perhaps at that time, had just left law school, and his next job was as a local government chairman." This early business accomplishment, according to the Governor, was instrumental in shaping his trajectory in both entrepreneurship and Nigeria Politics.
Political Rift: Wike's Alleged 2027 Pledge to President Tinubu
The genesis of the strained relationship between Makinde and Wike, despite their past collaboration within the G-5 group that significantly influenced the last presidential election, has now come to light. Makinde revealed a striking conversation from a meeting with President Tinubu, also attended by the President's Chief of Staff. "Wike said to the President, ‘Sir, I will hold PDP for you against 2027,’" Makinde disclosed, expressing his profound shock at the statement. The Oyo State Governor articulated his stance on the matter: "Wike is within his rights to support Tinubu, but those of us who want to ensure the survival of multiparty democracy and the PDP should also be allowed to make our own decisions… we don't want Nigeria to drift into a one-party state, and we want to ensure that PDP survives."
Makinde's Stance on Party Loyalty and National Politics
Further solidifying his commitment to his political party, Makinde also disclosed his refusal of a direct appeal from President Tinubu to assist in organizing the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State. This request emerged following earlier engagements between Makinde and Tinubu concerning the nomination of a Minister from Oyo State during the federal cabinet formation. "He said ‘Seyi, it’s you that I want to help me organise APC in Oyo State,’" Makinde recounted. The Governor unequivocally rejected the proposition, asserting, "I told him ‘no sir, I cannot help you organise APC in Oyo State because I am of the PDP.’"