All eyes are on Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde right now. Since the Supreme Court delivered its judgement a few days ago, annulling the Ibadan PDP Convention, the big question has been: what next for Gov. Makinde and his group since the PDP is now firmly in the grips of the Nyesom Wike group.
Before now, people have also been asking the same question: What is Gov. Seyi Makinde’s plan? Is he contesting? Is he going to the Senate? Is he going for the presidency? On which platform? No one seems to know. No one seems to have an answer.
City People gathered that since he granted his famous interview, months back, he has been in the eye of a storm, because the interview was a direct assault on Pres. Tinubu. That interview put him in direct opposition to the President and expectedly all the President’s men took him on. FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike replied him. Former Ekiti governor, Ayo Fayose tackled him.
Makinde’s position is that he does not want to have anything to do with President Tinubu because during the 2023 elections, President Tinubu betrayed him by not appreciating his efforts after he delivered Oyo State to him.
Makinde who has become the godfather of Oyo State politics and who enjoys and revels in that role has promised repeatedly to pick a successor who will win and continue from where he stops.
There are those who insist that Makinde has presidential ambition, whilst some others say he is eyeing the Senate.
But all his political calculations have been fraught with challenges. One is that the party he belongs to, the PDP, has been enmeshed in a crisis of immense proportion since last year and the recent Supreme Court ruling has put the party effectively in the hand of the Wike Group. Wike is his former friend and ally, turned enemy.
So, moving forward, Makinde and his group will have to move to another party along with his new set of loyalists who want to contest. Many of his supporters want to be Governor, Senator, House of Reps Members, House of Assembly members and so on. Their billboards are all over Ibadan and major towns across Oyo State.
Twice or thrice now, he has promised to announce a successor. And people have been waiting.
So the big question now is what next for Makinde? Many believe he will dump the PDP. And even if he does, which party will he join? Is it Accord? Is it ADC?
Is it NDC? Does he want to be part of the coalition of opposition parties in ADC? No one knows.
What makes the issue more worrisome is the fact that his supporters are getting apprehensive. His loyalists are worried about their next move.
So all eyes are on Gov. Makinde for 3 major reasons: the issue of Oyo State 20276 governorship succession, the PDP 2027 ticket and his own presidential ambition, if any.
There are those who feel that Makinde holds the key on the issue of Succession, on who the next governor will be. He says he will name his preferred successor before the first week of May 2026.
Frontrunners that have been tipped since March 2026 are: Nureni Adeniran (Commissioner for Education), Segun Ogunwuyi (Chief of Staff), Taofeek Arapaja (the PDP Deputy National Chairman South and ex-Deputy Governor), Adebo Ogundoyin, Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly and Adedeji Stanley Olajide (a federal lawmaker).
Many analysts had said before now that perhaps Makinde was waiting for the Supreme Court ruling on the PDP issue before deciding if his candidate will run on PDP platform.
On the issue of the 2027 PDP Presidential ticket, Makinde is said to be in the mix. PDP NEC has zoned the 2027 presidential ticket to the South. That puts Makinde squarely in contention. He feels his 7 years as Governor should count for something. According to him, “to serve at the highest level, I am qualified. I am even over qualified”.
There is a general believe that Makinde is playing multiple cards. He recently told appointees to declare ambitions. “Bring out your billboards. Add PDP logo, nothing will happen”, he told them. He also met Rabiu Kwankwaso officially during what he calls an Eid visit.
Why all eyes are on him is because some people believe that whoever Makinde anoints will become Governor, because he controls the 33 LGAs and the party structure.
An insider says Makinde wants to decide Oyo’s political future this month and position himself for the Presidency in 2027.
With the Supreme Court bringing to an end the 2 factions of the PDP, what will Makinde do next? Will be reconcile with Wike to stay relevant in PDP? Or join ADC/LP Coalition with Atiku/Kwakwanso/Obi? Like someone put it: Will he bow to Wike to get the PDP ticket or decamp? If he cuts a deal with Wike, he gets to pick his successor, and he can run for President.
What is Makinde’s staying power?
One, his performance record. Two, Money & Structure. Three, Youth/Zoning Advantage. Four, His cross party appeal. In terms of Performance he has done a lot. He has projects to point to. In terms of Money & Structure.
He is wealthy. He has Personal wealth from his Oil&Gas business, pre-politics. He and his group can fund candidates. Simply put, they have the war-chest.
In terms of Structure, he controls Oyo PDP structure. (2019-2025). All the 33 LGA Chairman are loyal to him.
In terms of Age & Zoning Advantage, he is 57 years.
He is a Southern Christian. And PDP has zoned 2027 presidential ticket to the South.
In terms of Cross-party appeal, he is an ex-Banker, Technocrat… He has a deal with Kwakwanso & Obi. He is close to Atiku, and he can end his rift with Wike.
Makinde wants to consolidate on his control of Oyo State politics. He wants to be a Regional King. He wants to become the new godfather of Oyo politics like Tinubu is in Lagos observed a political analyst.
