According to The Nation News, on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State publicly voiced his concerns regarding his former political collaborator and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
During a live media session held at the Presidential Lodge in Agodi, Ibadan, the governor accused Wike of engaging in manoeuvres intended to compromise the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
Governor Makinde explained that his current disagreement with Wike originated from an alleged commitment the minister made to assist President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's future campaign by maintaining control over the PDP on the President's behalf. Makinde stated that he firmly rejected this proposal during an encounter in Abuja.
He recounted being present at a meeting with President Tinubu and Wike where the minister reportedly volunteered to hold the party's structure for the President, a revelation that Makinde found shocking. He clarified that while Wike is entitled to support the President’s 2027 ambitions, he personally would not participate in such an arrangement.
Both leaders were previously recognised as prominent figures within the G5 group, a faction of PDP governors who challenged the party's leadership following the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the 2023 presidential candidate.
However, Makinde now claims that Wike’s current alignment with the presidency is a deliberate strategy to diminish the PDP’s power, specifically within Oyo State.
In a bid to highlight his personal independence, the governor compared his professional history to that of the FCT minister. He presented evidence of a $1 million contract he secured early in his career, noting that he had achieved significant financial milestones in the private sector well before Wike’s political rise.
He said, "At the age of 29, in 1997, I had already made $1 million working with oil companies." At that time, Wike may have just finished law school."
Makinde pointed out that while he was working with multinational corporations, Wike’s subsequent professional role was serving as a local government chairman.
He concluded by reiterating that his current stance is based on a matter of principle, as he intends to protect the autonomy of the PDP as the next election cycle draws near.
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