Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has explained his decision to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, despite supporting his candidacy in the 2023 polls.
Makinde made the clarification in his latest newsletter, titled “RESET NIGERIA”, in which he disclosed his plan to contest the presidency on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM.
“I supported President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023. Today, I am running against him in the 2027 presidential election,” he wrote.
The governor said some people had questioned what changed between his support for Tinubu and his decision to oppose him, with others suggesting that the two politicians might have had a personal disagreement.
“Some people have asked what changed. Others believe there must have been a personal disagreement between us.
“I understand why they would think that. But my decision is not about a personal disagreement or an ambition to occupy Aso Rock. It is about the future of Nigeria and the opportunities available to Nigerians,” Makinde stated.
He explained that he supported Tinubu in 2023 because he believed the President could unite Nigerians, establish a government based on national unity and competence, and address the country's economic challenges.
However, Makinde said his assessment of the administration had changed three years into its tenure.
“Three years later, I no longer believe his administration is taking us in that direction. To explain why this matters so much to me, I need to tell you a little about myself,” he said.
The governor said he grew up in a lower-middle-class family, with his father working as a teacher before retraining as an accountant, while his mother served as a civil servant and telephone operator.
“We were not wealthy. But we lived in a Nigeria where an ordinary family could reasonably believe that education, hard work and determination would give their children a better life,” he said.
Makinde said he attended Bishop Phillips Academy in Ibadan before studying Electrical Engineering at the University of Lagos, UNILAG.
He added that his education enabled him to build a career in engineering, specialising in industrial measurement and safety systems.
“At 29, I established Makon Engineering and Technical Services,” he said.
According to him, the company started as a small business before expanding beyond Nigeria, stressing that his success was not the result of coming from a wealthy or politically connected family.
“I had an education, acquired useful skills, found opportunities and worked to make the most of them,” Makinde said.
He argued that the opportunities he enjoyed while growing up were becoming increasingly difficult for young Nigerians to access.
“And that is what troubles me about the Nigeria we have today. How many young Nigerians can confidently expect the same opportunities?
“How many can complete their education, acquire useful skills, find meaningful work or start a business with a reasonable expectation that it will succeed?
“How many parents can confidently tell their children that if they work hard and do the right things, they will have a better life?” he asked.
Makinde explains why he is challenging Tinubu in 2027 presidential election