By Yinka Giwa
The Presidency on Sunday launched a blistering attack on Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, warning that any attempt to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election could destroy his political legacy and diminish his standing in Yorubaland.
In a strongly worded opinion article that effectively amounted to an official political broadside, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Special Duties, Tunde Rahman, described Makinde’s presidential ambition as a “wild goose chase” and a risky political gamble that could end in humiliation.
Rahman’s intervention came days after Makinde formally declared his intention to contest the presidency during a political rally at Mapo Hall in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, amid mounting opposition coalition talks ahead of the 2027 elections.
The presidential aide said President Tinubu welcomed Makinde’s entry into the race and would be prepared to confront him at the polls if the governor eventually secures the ticket of any opposition alliance.
“President Bola Tinubu welcomes Governor Makinde’s decision. He will be waiting to square up against him on January 15, 2027, if the latter can muster the conviction and work his way down to the final political wire,” Rahman stated.
But beyond acknowledging the governor’s constitutional right to contest, the Presidency questioned both Makinde’s political calculations and his chances of success, insisting that the Oyo governor lacks the national political structure required to mount a serious presidential challenge.
Rahman argued that Makinde’s influence remains largely restricted to Ibadan and parts of Oyo State, while his proposed alliance under a PDP-APM arrangement remained unclear and politically weak.
The presidential aide also accused the governor of reckless political behaviour, warning that his repeated attacks on the ruling APC and references to the violent “Wild Wild West” crisis of the First Republic were dangerous and irresponsible.
According to him, Makinde crossed the line during an opposition summit in Ibadan where he allegedly warned the APC to remember that the political turmoil that consumed the old Western Region started from Ibadan.
Rahman said there was no basis for comparing present-day Nigeria with the crisis-ridden First Republic era, insisting that opposition parties currently enjoy full democratic freedoms.
The Presidency further accused Makinde of pursuing contradictory ambitions by attempting to install a successor in Oyo State while simultaneously seeking the presidency.
Rahman also took a swipe at the governor’s political relationships, alleging that Makinde had developed a reputation for abandoning allies who helped him rise to power.
Among those mentioned were Senator Hosea Agboola, Chief Bisi Ilaka and former Political Adviser, Hon. Babs Oduyoye.
He equally referenced the governor’s fractured relationship with former Rivers State governor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, noting that Wike had strongly supported Makinde’s re-election campaign in 2023 before both men later fell apart politically.
While acknowledging that Makinde had recorded achievements in infrastructure development in Oyo State, Rahman insisted that performance alone could not substitute for national political relevance and strategic depth.
The presidential aide warned that if Makinde proceeds with the presidential race and fails, the consequences could permanently damage his political future and standing among the Yoruba political elite.
“My worry for him is that when all else is done, when all the chips are down, when the battle is lost and won, his reputation would have been badly damaged, his legacy, if any, rubbished, his influence and relevance gone, and his place in history and reckoning within the Yoruba race sullied,” Rahman stated.
Makinde’s presidential declaration has further intensified political calculations within the opposition, with knowledgeable insiders informing KTH Daily that the plan is to use Makinde to split Tinubu’s South West base, and further sunder his chances of winning the presidency in 2027.
The Oyo governor is believed to be aligning with a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, alongside the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) led by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.
His entry into the race adds to a growing list of potential contenders already being linked to the 2027 contest, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, and former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi.