Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has launched one of his fiercest attacks yet against Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, declaring that the political relationship between them has irretrievably broken down and warning that the governor would face consequences for what he described as betrayal, disrespect, and political injustice.
Speaking during a tense and emotionally charged interview, Fayose accused Makinde of dismantling his political structure within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West and vowed that he would no longer remain silent in the face of what he called calculated political aggression.
The former governor likened his reaction to that of a mother whose child had been forcibly taken away, insisting that Makinde’s actions transformed him from an ally into a determined political opponent.
“If you respect me, you get all the values and support. If you disrespect me, you get the downside,” Fayose declared. “I am not a politician that should be taken for granted. This is a vindictive move against me because of anger over what he did. Never take a woman’s child away from her. The moment you do that, she becomes a lion. I became a lion against Seyi Makinde when he messed up.”
In what appeared to be a direct warning ahead of future political contests in Oyo State and the South-West, Fayose openly acknowledged that he would work against Makinde’s political interests. He argued that the governor’s actions violated the unwritten code of mutual respect among senior politicians.
“We are meant to be fair to one another in politics,” he said. “I am a former governor and he is a serving governor. Courtesy demands respect. If you want to take my head, I will take your head. Fire is already burning.”
Fayose recounted his long political and business history in Ibadan, stressing that his roots in Oyo State predate Makinde’s emergence in politics. He said he was born in Ibadan and had established himself professionally long before the governor became a household name.
“With all due respect to him as governor, I am almost eleven years older than Makinde,” he stated. “When he was still a small boy, I was already doing business in Ibadan. I was born at Oluyoro Hospital in Ibadan. My connections and relationships in this city run deep.”
The former governor also dismissed suggestions that Makinde’s political popularity guarantees future electoral victories, cautioning against equating public applause and large crowds with actual votes at the ballot box.
“When people clap for you, don’t imagine it translates automatically into electoral success,” he warned. “Politics is deeper than crowds. The more you see, the more you look.”
However, it was Fayose’s invocation of spiritual symbolism that added a dramatic dimension to the interview. In one of his strongest remarks, he accused Makinde of encroaching on sacred interests and warned that unseen forces would eventually respond.
“Governor Seyi Makinde has taken the land that belongs to the gods,” Fayose declared. “The gods are angry and they are ready to take back their land.”
The statement, repeated several times during the interview, underscored the depth of his frustration with the governor and suggested that the dispute had evolved beyond conventional political disagreements.
Fayose further accused Makinde of abandoning trusted allies despite their shared history within the influential G5 governors’ group, which played a significant role in Nigeria’s political realignments ahead of the 2023 elections.
“We were all members of the G5,” he said. “He has every right to aspire to higher office, even the presidency, but you do not betray trust. That was his undoing.”
The former governor maintained that Makinde’s growing list of political adversaries could become a liability, warning that excessive political battles often weaken even the most powerful leaders.
“The Obas say too many enemies can destroy a wise man,” Fayose remarked. “He has a long journey ahead of him. A leader must know how to manage relationships.”
Despite his criticism, Fayose acknowledged Makinde’s political accomplishments and admitted that the governor remains popular among many residents of Oyo State. Nevertheless, he insisted that popularity alone would not shield him from the consequences of what he termed political miscalculations.
“His people love him, and congratulations to him for that,” Fayose said. “But politics is not that simple. Elections are different from crowds and applause.”
Asked directly whether he was declaring political war against Makinde, Fayose stopped short of using such language but made it clear that reconciliation was far from his mind.
“I have no war with anybody,” he said. “But if somebody works against me, I will respond. Time will tell.”
In a final dramatic reflection, Fayose revisited his own political experience, insisting that electoral outcomes do not always reflect the genuine will of the people. He maintained that his political relevance remains intact despite no longer occupying public office.
“I have said many things in the past and they came to pass,” he concluded. “Nobody could have defeated me with votes. When it was time to take votes, they took it by storm. Yet nothing happened to me. I remain standing.”
As political calculations for future elections gradually gather momentum, Fayose’s explosive comments are likely to intensify discussions within the PDP and across the South-West political landscape, setting the stage for what could become one of the region’s most closely watched political rivalries.
