Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde says he is withdrawing his support for President Bola Tinubu and will challenge him in the 2027 presidential election. Across the reports, Makinde links his decision to a changed assessment of Tinubu’s administration, despite saying he previously supported Tinubu’s 2023 bid.
Several outlets say Makinde makes his case in a newsletter titled “RESET NIGERIA,” where he also sets out his intention to contest for president on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). He acknowledges that observers have questioned what changed since 2023, including suggestions of personal disagreement, and he presents the decision as driven by Nigeria’s future and opportunities for Nigerians.
Different outlets emphasize varying aspects of his explanation. Some focus on the broad rationale that he no longer believes the administration is taking the country in the right direction, while others foreground the contrast between his stated reasons for supporting Tinubu in 2023—such as beliefs about unity and economic problem-solving—and the reasons he says have led him to oppose him three years later.
