…Rules Out Joining APC
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has ruled out any plan to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), despite the ongoing wave of defections by opposition governors, following his closed-door meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.
Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting, Makinde said his engagement with the president focused on national development and governance, noting that Nigeria’s progress would require cooperation across party lines.
“I remain in the PDP. I am not joining the APC. However, I believe Nigeria needs bipartisan politics at some point,” Makinde said.
The Oyo governor stressed that leaders must prioritise unity, stability, and economic recovery over partisan interests, especially as political consultations ahead of the 2027 general elections intensify.
Earlier on Thursday, President Tinubu held separate meetings with Makinde and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang at the State House. The governors arrived independently, with Mutfwang arriving at about 3:00 p.m. and Makinde shortly after.
The meetings come amid ongoing political realignments, as key stakeholders step up consultations ahead of the 2027 polls.
Makinde remains one of the few Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors yet to defect to the ruling APC, despite speculation about his political future.
Mutfwang, who recently defected from the PDP to the APC, met President Tinubu for the first time since his defection.
President Tinubu has in recent months intensified engagements with governors across party lines, a development widely seen as part of broader governance and political consultations.
