Makinde Reveals What Happened After Tinubu–Wike Meeting

…As Gov. says FCT minister pledged PDP loyalty to Tinubu without consultation.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has disclosed details of a private meeting involving President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, describing it as the origin of their political disagreement.

Makinde made the disclosure during a media chat with journalists aired by Channels Television on Tuesday, December 23, 2025. According to the governor, the meeting was attended by President Tinubu, Wike, the President’s Chief of Staff, and other officials. “The real issue is that I was in a meeting with the president and Wike,” Makinde said.

He stated that the discussion during the meeting left him shocked after Wike made a political declaration to the president. “And I’m saying this, you know, in an open chat. The president’s chief of staff was also in that meeting and a few others,” he added.

Makinde said Wike openly pledged to secure the Peoples Democratic Party for President Tinubu. “And Wike said to the president that, well, sir, I will hold PDP for you, you know, against 2077. I was in shock,” he said.

He explained that after the meeting, he confronted Wike privately about the statement. “So, we got up. We got to the veranda. I said, Wike, did we agree to this?” Makinde stated.

The governor clarified that he avoids discussing individuals but felt compelled to address the core issue. “I don’t like talking about people. And I will not talk about people or talk about events. But I’ll talk about the real issue,” he said.

Makinde identified the core issue as Wike’s intention to support President Tinubu’s re-election bid. “The real issue is that Wike would like to support the president for 2027. That’s fine. It is within his right to do that,” he said.

He, however, emphasized that others within the political space have a different objective. “But also some of us that want to, you know, ensure that democracy survives in Nigeria, we don’t drift into a one-party state and we want to ensure that PDP survives,” Makinde stated.

He said his expectation was that Wike should allow dissenting political choices. “It should also allow us to do our own thing. That is just the issue between me and Wike,” he said.

Makinde revealed that he later discussed the matter with a mutual friend, questioning Wike’s authority to make such a pledge. “And I confided in a mutual friend of ours after that meeting,” he said. He added, “I kept thinking, OK, I mean, the president did not ask him to do this for me. He was the one that volunteered that I will do that.”

Makinde said he initially believed Wike might reconsider. “So, when I was telling our mutual friend, I said, look, maybe he was talking about an errand that the president never sent him,” he stated. He added, “So, let’s watch. Let’s engage him. Let’s see if he will back off.”

According to Makinde, Wike did not withdraw his position. “Well, he never did. So, after he didn’t back off, I said, well, now it’s time to confront him,” he said.

Makinde concluded by stating his final decision regarding the 2027 elections. “Because I told him from that day that I would never be a part of this. And that is why I will not be supporting the president for 2027,” he said.

He added, “Wike can support him. It is within his right. But also, it is within my own right to decide within the political space who I will support or what I will do in 2027.”