Unconfirmed reports suggest Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde may be nursing a presidential ambition for 2027 when Nigeria’s next general election is due.
A group active on the social messaging app WhatsApp, comprising 467 members, is reportedly doing underground political solicitation to project and market Makinde as a presidential option.
The group’s members believe Makinde’s “people-oriented” approach to governance and leadership style makes him the most suitable candidate for the position.
The group membership includes active aides to the governor and other prominent political figures, such as Olajide Odidiomo, a House of Representatives member representing Ibadan Northwest/Southwest.
Other notable group members are local government council officials in the state.
Gov. Makinde, a second-term governor from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, has not publicly declared any interest in running for a higher office.
He comes from Nigeria’s South West geopolitical zone, where Nigeria’s current president, Bola Tinubu, is from. In recent times, Mr. Makinde has been at odds with the Tinubu-led administration over local government administration. He strongly sparred with the federal government on local government autonomy, recently adjudicated by Nigeria’s apex court.
It is also worth noting that Bauchi State governor Bala Mohammed openly showed interest over the weekend in challenging the president in the next election. Serial opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar, who is 77 years old, has recently ratcheted up his anti-government rhetoric—indicating he may be warming up for another contest in 2027.
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