Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has finally responded to questions on why he is contesting against President Bola Tinubu, who, like him, is from the South-West, in the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking on Thursday during the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, South-West Town Hall meeting in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, Makinde said his decision was not about region but about competence, fairness and national unity.
The governor disclosed that he supported Tinubu in 2023 even though he was in a different party because he believed Tinubu would run a government of national unity and competence.
“I supported the current President, even though in another party at that time, because I thought we would do what is right for the country. I thought we would have a government of national unity and a government of national competence,” Makinde said.
According to him, the alliance has failed to deliver unity, fairness and competent governance.
“Is it a government of national competence? Is it a government of national unity? The answer is no,” he said.
He further pointed out that in 2023, he and other aggrieved PDP governors believed power should shift to the South after eight years of former President Muhammadu Buhari in the interest of equity and justice.
He said he expected Tinubu to bring together capable Nigerians from different parts of the country to address the nation’s challenges, noting that those expectations were not met and that the current administration has broken its promises to Nigerians.
According to him, the 2027 election is about rescuing Nigeria and resetting the country, not about where the President comes from.