Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has been parading a grand delusion of contesting for the presidency in Nigeria’s 2027 elections. His so-called “quest” for the highest office is less of a strategic move and more of a comical charade, a flimsy fantasy dressed in ambition. For anyone who’s paying attention, Makinde’s presidential ambition isn’t just premature—it’s a shipwreck waiting to happen, or as the saying goes, “dead on arrival.”
Makinde’s laughable leap into national politics reeks of overconfidence, raising eyebrows about his actual ability to govern a country as chaotic and fragmented as Nigeria. Ambition isn’t a bad thing, but when it’s rooted in a foundation as shaky as Makinde’s, it becomes outright absurd. His tenure as governor has been a disaster of missed opportunities and self-serving decisions that have more to do with his ego than the welfare of Oyo State’s citizens.
Makinde’s Achilles’ heel is his abysmal track record in Oyo State. Despite the fanfare that accompanied his election in 2019, his administration quickly became a study in mediocrity. From crumbling healthcare systems to neglected education and a chronic inability to address food insecurity, Makinde’s regime has been an exercise in governance by neglect. The man who dreams of leading Nigeria can’t even get the basics right at home.
But that’s not all. The man loves to flaunt high-profile projects, signing off on inflated road contracts and shady infrastructure deals funneled to cronies. Critics argue that these so-called “achievements” are nothing more than financial black holes, designed to pad pockets rather than deliver any real value to the public. His government’s debt has ballooned to unsustainable levels, leaving Oyo State on the hook for years to come. If this is the kind of “leadership” he plans to export to the national stage, Nigeria would be better off without it.
Makinde’s ambition is about as self-serving as it gets. His recent moves—like establishing the PDP Southwest headquarters in Ibadan—reveal a politician more concerned with solidifying his grip on power than with actually improving the lives of the people he supposedly serves. The governor is obsessed with positioning himself for national relevance, completely ignoring the needs of Oyo State as he chases his pipe dream of becoming president.
In his mad dash for the presidency, Makinde is busy grooming a puppet successor to shield him from future accountability once his disastrous governorship ends. It’s a transparent ploy, and Nigerians are sick of these kinds of cynical games. The electorate has grown tired of opportunistic politicians like Makinde who are more interested in personal advancement than public service.
Makinde’s political treachery is another nail in the coffin of his presidential bid. His betrayal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), particularly during the 2023 elections, was unforgivable. Instead of backing his own party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Makinde and his G5 comrades threw their weight behind Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The backstabbing didn’t go unnoticed, and Makinde has since been cast as a disloyal opportunist within his own party.
This anti-party behavior has left Makinde isolated, and despised by the very people he’ll need to win over if he seriously thinks he has a shot at the presidency. His political credibility has been shattered, and the idea that the PDP would ever trust him to represent them on the national stage is laughable.
To make matters worse, Makinde will be going up against Bola Tinubu, who, by 2027, will still be a dominating force in Nigerian politics. Both hailing from the Southwest, Makinde’s chances of competing with Tinubu’s well-oiled political machine are next to none. Tinubu’s stranglehold on the region, backed by a network of loyalists and his iron grip on the APC, will leave Makinde looking like a political lightweight.
Makinde’s fractured alliances and inconsistent loyalty make it even less likely that he can cobble together the kind of regional support necessary to mount a credible national campaign. Taking on Tinubu in the Southwest, while trying to gather support from other regions, is not just an uphill battle—it’s a fool’s errand.
Seyi Makinde’s presidential ambition is nothing more than a monumental miscalculation. His failure to effectively govern Oyo State, combined with his self-centered political antics and broken relationships within his party, makes him one of the least credible candidates for the presidency. Adding the insurmountable influence of Tinubu into the equation only underscores the futility of his bid.
Nigeria’s political terrain requires leaders with competence, vision, and a genuine commitment to public service—qualities Makinde sorely lacks. His presidential aspiration is nothing but a delusional fantasy, already dead before it ever had a chance to take off.
Barrister Adisa Atolagbe resides in Abuja
