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By Oscar Okhifo
Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose says Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde started attacking President Bola Tinubu after a cold shoulder reception during a recent visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Fayose, in the statement on Sunday, alleged that Makinde had sought a political rapprochement with President Tinubu during the visit but was rebuffed, a development he said marked the end of any reconciliation efforts between both men.
He was reacting to comments credited to Makinde at the birthday celebration of former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, where the Oyo State governor reportedly criticised the Tinubu administration, describing it as “dictatorial,” while expressing praise for the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to Fayose, Makinde’s comments were a direct fallout of his failed attempt to carry out what he termed “damage control” over earlier public statements against the President.
“I made it public that Makinde went to see the President for damage control after his speech, but he got the shock of his political life,” Fayose said, alleging that the President gave him a cold shoulder during the visit.
He further claimed that President Tinubu made it clear that as far as Oyo State is concerned, he would only support candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Fayose described Makinde’s recent posture as that of an “emergency opposition mouthpiece,” insisting that it was a reaction to the President’s refusal to offer him what he called a “soft landing.”
The former Ekiti governor also asserted that Makinde would not be able to use the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform in 2027, alleging that the Oyo State governor was positioning himself to field a candidate under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
“With this assurance, the APC in Oyo State should wake up and prepare to slug it out with Makinde’s candidate,” Fayose said.
As at the time of filing this report, the Presidency and the Oyo State Government had yet to respond to Fayose’s claims.