I’m Qualified to Run for President – Seyi Makinde

Spread the love

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared that he is qualified to contest Nigeria’s highest political office, amid growing speculation about his possible presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Makinde’s comments followed the recent appearance of campaign posters bearing his image in parts of Jigawa State, which sparked public debate over whether he intends to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Speaking during a media interaction with selected journalists in Ibadan on Tuesday, the governor said his experience in governance and the private sector makes him eligible for the presidency.

According to Makinde, his tenure as a two-term governor places him in a similar position to President Tinubu, who also served two terms as governor of Lagos State before becoming president.

“I am qualified to serve this country at the highest level. I have governed Oyo State. What qualified the president to be here? He was a two-term governor of Lagos State,” Makinde said.

He added that by May 2027, he would have completed two full terms as governor, noting that he also has a strong professional background, having managed a company from a young age.

Meanwhile, the Oyo State governor made it clear that he will not support President Tinubu’s re-election bid in the 2027 elections.

Makinde also criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, insisting that no individual has the right to dictate political choices to others.

He recounted being present at a meeting involving President Tinubu, Wike, and other political figures, during which the former Rivers State governor allegedly declared his intention to “hold” the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Tinubu ahead of 2027.

Makinde said the statement took him by surprise and stressed that he would not be part of such an arrangement.

According to him, his decision not to back Tinubu’s second-term bid is driven by his commitment to safeguarding democracy, keeping the PDP viable as an opposition party, and preventing Nigeria from sliding into a one-party system.

He further stated that President Tinubu did not ask Wike to take control of the PDP, but that the offer was voluntarily made by the FCT minister.

“Wike may choose to support President Tinubu in 2027, but I will not,” Makinde said.