Former Alliance for Democracy (AD) Whip in the House of Representatives, Hon. Babatunde Oduyoye, has stated that contrary to widespread claim that the governor of Oyo State, ‘Seyi Makinde, has thrown his hat into the ring for the 2027 Presidential race, he knows the governor won’t join the contest through the back door.
Oduyoye, who was Makinde’s Special Adviser on Strategy and Political Matters in his first term of office, maintained that the governor is a strategic planner and that he would put some things in place before taking such an important decision.
The former two-term lawmaker noted that knowing Governor Makinde and seeing that he has not taken certain steps, which he ordinarily would have taken, if he were to be truly interested in running for president, then the ambition may be coming from well-wishers who want him to move higher on the political ladder.
Recall that Oduyoye had, in a popular interview published in 2022, declared that the governor knew what to do to win a second term of office and that only he, (Makinde) could stop himself from winning.
That statement was later proved true with the governor making key decisions that culminated in his land slide victory at the March 18, 2023 poll.
Commenting on the rumoured presidential ambition of the governor, Oduyoye maintained that he was certain that Governor Makinde had not taken a decision, as he has not done what he is known for as a strategic politician.
He said: “I have read the reports that Governor Makinde has declared his presidential ambition for 2027, but I have not read anyone with the exact quote from the governor.
“I know Governor Makinde and I know what he will do if he is interested in running for president.
“As of now, the governor has not done those things, so I am sure that this ambition is coming from his well-wishers.
“Governor Makinde has never been one to shy away from challenges, and he is certainly not going to join the presidential race through the back door; he is not cowardly. I know him; I know what he will do if and when that time comes.”