What Governor Makinde Sought from Tinubu in Aso Rock— A Presidential Source Speaks
What Governor Makinde Sought from Tinubu in Aso Rock— A Presidential Source Speaks
Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde met president Bola Ahmed Tinubu behind closed-door in the presidential villa on January 22nd.
The governor later told newsmen vaguely that the meeting was to discuss national issues such security, economy, and governance through bi-partisan approach– however, a top government official has provided insight into the agenda of the meeting which falls outside of the reasons governor Seyi Makinde outlined.
According to highly trusted source in the presidency, Seyi Makinde meeting president Tinubu on January 22nd was to prevent the recent Ibadan Federal High Court ruling on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) crises. According to the source, the Seyi Makinde’s faction of the PDP had approached the Ibadan Federal Court to seek a ruling that will validate its controversial November 2025 Ibadan convention which produced Kabiru Saminu Turaki as the party’s national chairman and others.
The court judgement which was delivered by Justice Uche Agomoh went against the Seyi Makinde’s faction of the PDP who had approached the court, and in favour of Minister Nyesom Wike’s faction. The court declined all requests by the Seyi Makinde’s faction, nullifying its November 2025 Ibadan convention and barring those elected at the convention from parading themselves as the party’s leaders.
Justice Uche Agomoh in his ruling, accused the Seyi Makinde’s faction of disregarding several court injunctions including the one that stated that the Ibadan convention should no hold. Justice Uche Agomoh remarked that the Seyi Makinde’s faction who have flouted different court orders, wants same court they disobeyed to validate their national convention.
He further ruled that the Wike’s faction should be recognized as the authentic leadership of the party.
“Seyi Makinde knew that the court judgement was not going to be in his favour so he went to see president Tinubu to negotiate”, the source stated.
He added that Seyi Makinde promised to work for president Tinubu’s reelection in 2027 as he did in 2023 if the Turaki led PDP is is recognized as the legitimate leadership of the PDP. He explained that Seyi Makinde is interested in producing his successor in the PDP and have no interest in the party’s presidential ticket or who emerges the party’s presidential candidate.
“Seyi asked the president to make the court recognize Turaki as the rightful national chairman of the PDP because he wants his successor to come from the PDP. But with the Ibadan Federal High Court ruling, he will be taking huge risk to sponsor his candidates for election on the platform of the Turaki faction”.
The source further revealed that president Bola Ahmed Tinubu declined Seyi Makinde’s request, telling him to allow the court do its job and that he is not interested in the internal crisis of the PDP.
“Already you know what the president said to him. He has Seyi where he wants him. Wike is more useful to Tinubu than Seyi. This is why you see Seyi criticizing the president more. A few days ago, he stated at an event that he misses the administration of Muhammadu Buhari just to taunt president Tinubu”, he said.
