Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has openly declared that he possesses the capacity to lead Nigeria as President, asserting his confidence during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday.
The two-term governor, who is a prominent figure within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stated that the 2027 general elections will not be a simple face-off between the PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), but rather a decision between the Nigerian people and the APC administration.
“I don’t have any doubt that I have the capacity to occupy the highest office in this land and I have what it takes,” Makinde said.
“But what I want to do right now, is it what Nigerians are asking for right now, is it what my party will say we should do, we don’t know; we still have a long time to go.”
He emphasized that the PDP must first undergo internal restructuring.
“We must fix our party, we must have a platform for you to even aspire to be anything,” he added.
Nonetheless, Makinde said he is content with his political journey so far.
“Let me also say this: if my political journey ends here, I am also happy.”
The statement comes at a time when realignments are unfolding ahead of the 2027 polls.
On March 20, 2025, PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar spearheaded an inter-party coalition that brought together key opposition figures such as former Anambra State governor Peter Obi and former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai.
The coalition, announced as a vehicle to dislodge President Bola Tinubu’s APC-led government, is counting on the strong voter base seen in the 2023 elections, where Atiku and Obi secured a combined vote count exceeding 12 million—outnumbering Tinubu’s declared tally by over four million votes.
However, Makinde and other PDP governors distanced themselves from the coalition during a meeting in Ibadan on April 14.
The governors emphasized that any potential alliance should be preceded by internal reorganization within the PDP.
Makinde clarified this during the broadcast: “Your house (the PDP) must be in order before you invite others.”
He acknowledged the right of individual party members to associate freely but underscored that the official stance of the party remains separate.
Veteran PDP leader and member of the party’s Board of Trustees, Bode George, supported the governors’ decision, stressing that the party should field a southern candidate in 2027 instead of backing Atiku again.
When asked directly if he plans to contest for the presidency, Makinde replied, “nobody will set an agenda for me. I will set an agenda for myself.”
He added, “People can say whatever they want to say (but) right now, I am focusing on what Oyo State people have given to me; the task ahead of us.”
Makinde insisted he would not be swayed by political pressure or optics.
“I will not play stunt politics; I will not do things because it feels right in some people’s ears,” he said.
“No, I will stay focused to ensure that we bring dividends of democracy to our people, look after them, and also build infrastructure that will lead our people well into the future.”
He concluded with a note of clarity: “that is not consistent with whether somebody is going to go to the federal level or whether people are saying I must contest. If I want to contest, I will come out at the appropriate time.”
“One thing you should expect from Seyi Makinde is that he would never come out to say I want to do XYZ without preparations and without being held accountable for whatever he says he wants to do,” he affirmed.
