Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has disclosed that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar offered him the position of running mate during the 2023 presidential election, but he rejected the proposal because he considered his experience in public service insufficient at the time.
Makinde made the revelation during an interview on ARISE News, where he discussed his political journey, relationship with members of the G5 governors, the lingering crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his political ambitions.
The governor explained that Atiku and members of his political team approached him to join the presidential ticket, but he declined, arguing that he had spent only three years in office as governor and did not consider that enough experience for such a responsibility.
He said, “Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and his people approached me to run with him. I basically told them that I had only spent three years as governor of Oyo State and three years in public service. I felt it was not enough to make such a decision, so I told them to look for someone else.”
Speaking about the G5 governors’ opposition to Atiku’s presidential ambition in 2023, Makinde noted that he was the only member of the group who had subsequently left the PDP.
He also defended his faction’s decision to expel former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, from the party, arguing that the action became necessary after Wike openly declared his intention to hold the PDP for President Bola Tinubu.
According to Makinde, the decision was taken to ensure that the party remained capable of participating in the election, even if it meant contesting with a weakened political structure.
The governor, however, raised concerns about the country’s democratic process, questioning why political parties were still facing the nullification of candidates less than 80 days before a national election.
“Why? What kind of democracy is that?” he asked.
Reacting to accusations by the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that he had neglected governance to concentrate on political activities, Makinde defended his engagements outside the state.
He argued that governors should also have the freedom to communicate their political positions to Nigerians, just as the President travels across the country for political engagements.
Makinde maintained that his administration had continued to discharge its responsibilities despite his political activities. He pointed to his presentation of the 2027 budget estimates to the State House of Assembly and his delivery of the state-of-the-state address as evidence of continued governance.
“Oyo State is moving on. We have robust institutions, and I am not outside the country,” he said.
On his preferred successor, Bimbo Adekanbi, the governor dismissed suggestions that his support for the former commissioner was an attempt to establish himself as a political godfather.
He explained that Adekanbi emerged through a consensus arrangement which he supported, but stressed that the former commissioner should be allowed to develop his own political identity and make independent decisions.
“I have told him severally, ‘Bimbo, don’t inherit my enemies or opponents. Chart your own path.’ I am interested in good governance,” he said.
Makinde further ruled out the possibility of becoming a political godfather, explaining that his background in the private sector had significantly influenced his approach to public service.
“I came from a private background. This is my first public service job, and I enjoyed my life as a private person. Actually, I am a very shy and private person,” he added.
Speaking on his security agenda, Makinde identified decentralised decision-making and the establishment of state police as major elements of his proposed governance reset.
He argued that security policies should be determined closer to the people, allowing individual states to develop solutions that reflect their peculiar challenges rather than relying on a uniform national approach.
He nevertheless acknowledged concerns that state policing could be abused by political authorities and turned into an instrument of oppression at the grassroots.
The governor also referred to the kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo and Borno states, saying the incidents demonstrated the need for states to adopt security strategies suited to their respective circumstances.
Makinde recalled that his administration had successfully secured the release of the abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State, although the incident resulted in casualties.
Explaining his earlier appeal for the United Nations to investigate the kidnapping, the governor said he made the request because certain circumstances surrounding the incident were unusual and should not be treated as ordinary security occurrences.
He also revealed that his administration had constituted a judicial panel of inquiry into the incident and that the panel had completed its assignment and submitted its report.
According to Makinde, a white paper outlining the government’s position on the panel’s findings would be made public within the week.