Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has cleared the air regarding his presidential ambition for the upcoming polls, insisting that his decision to run against President Bola Tinubu is driven entirely by competence, fairness, and national unity rather than regional sentiments. Speaking during the Allied Peoples Movement regional town hall meeting held in Akure, the Ondo State capital, the party flag bearer addressed questions surrounding a contest against a fellow leader from the same region, pointing out that governance goes far beyond geography.
Makinde recalled how he backed Tinubu during the previous election cycle despite belonging to a different political platform. At the time, he and several aggrieved governors within the opposition party championed the principle of power rotation to the southern region in the spirit of equity and justice following the completion of the prior administration. He noted that his initial support was rooted in the expectation that Tinubu would foster a broad coalition of capable minds from all parts of the country to steer the nation forward.
However, the governor expressed deep disappointment, stating that the current federal administration has fallen short of those expectations. He argued that the government has failed to deliver on promises of national unity and competence, leaving citizens grappling with unmet potential. For Makinde, the upcoming election is not about where a leader originates, but about rescuing and resetting a nation that desperately requires focused and unified leadership to surmount its current hurdles.
