Why I backed Tinubu in 2023 but will challenge him in 2027 — Makinde

By Ayobami Okerinde Three years after supporting President Bola Tinubu’s emergence in 2023, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has explained why he is challenging him in the 2027 presidential election, citing four major concerns about the administration. Makinde, the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), said his decision was not driven by a personal disagreement with Tinubu or an ambition to occupy Aso Rock, but by what he described as concerns about Nigeria’s future.

The governor stated this in a newsletter on Thursday, recalling that he backed Tinubu because he believed the president could unite Nigerians, build a government based on competence and address the country’s economic challenges. He said, “I supported President Tinubu in 2023 because I believed his experience and political relationships could help him bring Nigerians together.

“One thing I have always acknowledged about him is his ability to build bridges across political divides. I believed he could use that ability to establish a government of national unity and competence, focused on improving the lives of Nigerians.” Makinde identified four major reasons for his decision to challenge Tinubu, beginning with what he described as “economic stability without economic development.” While acknowledging improvements in some macroeconomic indicators, he said such gains had not translated into better living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.

“Also, contrary to the formula President Tinubu claims to be following, economic stabilisation and development are not necessarily sequential. Nigerians did not have to endure this level of hardship while waiting for development to begin,” he added. His second concern was what he described as “governing by excuses”, accusing the administration of repeatedly citing inherited challenges instead of showing measurable progress in tackling them.

“Every government inherits problems, but it is elected to solve them. Over three years into this administration, we are still hearing explanations about inherited poverty, insecurity, electricity problems and other challenges, when Nigerians should be seeing more measurable progress towards resolving them.” On national unity, the governor said he had expected Tinubu’s political experience and ability to build alliances to produce a government that brought capable Nigerians together.

“Instead, I have come to believe that his political alliances serve his political objectives more than the national interest, and I am deeply concerned about the weakening of opposition parties, which are essential to a functioning democracy,” Makinde said. His fourth concern was “economic reforms without adequate protection for Nigerians.” Although he supported reforms to the petrol subsidy and foreign exchange systems, Makinde said the government should have prepared measures to protect citizens from the resulting hardship.

He said millions of Nigerians who were already struggling were exposed to further difficulties before sufficient support measures were put in place. ‘What I would have done differently’ On alternatives to the decision taken by President Tinubu and his administration, Makinde said he would have handled the removal of petrol subsidy differently, arguing that the Federal Government should have prepared measures to cushion its effects before implementing the policy.

He said the presidential transition period could have been used to plan interventions in collaboration with state governors, adding that President Tinubu was aware of the possible consequences of subsidy removal. Makinde recalled that Tinubu had opposed the abrupt removal of petrol subsidy in 2012, when former President Goodluck Jonathan attempted to end the policy.

He also said the president had witnessed the petrol and naira scarcity crises before the 2023 elections and was aware of the hardship Nigerians were facing. “I would have used the presidential transition period to prepare for subsidy removal,” he said. The governor added that he would have convened the National Economic Council to agree on a coordinated response with state governors, including funding arrangements and the responsibilities of the federal government, states and local governments.

Citing his administration’s response in Oyo State after the subsidy removal, Makinde said it began consultations with organised labour and introduced measures to reduce transportation costs. “Within eleven days, we had announced the deployment of additional Omituntun buses, maintained existing fares and introduced half-price travel for students and senior citizens,” he said.

He added that the state subsequently introduced the Sustainable Actions for Economic Recovery (SAfER) programme in August 2023, providing food relief to 200,000 vulnerable households, subsidised transportation and support for small businesses and farmers. “Our approach was simple: provide immediate relief while developing measures to help people earn a living,” Makinde sai