Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has alleged that Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s recent criticisms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stem from what he described as a failed attempt at political reconciliation with the President.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Fayose claimed that Makinde received a “cold shoulder” during a recent visit to the Presidential Villa, an experience he said marked the breakdown of any prospect of rapprochement between the Oyo governor and the Tinubu administration.
Fayose linked Makinde’s remarks about the former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo where the Oyo governor was reported to have criticised President Tinubu’s leadership style while speaking favourably of the Muhammadu Buhari administrationto the alleged outcome of that meeting.
According to Fayose, Makinde’s comments were evidence that reconciliation efforts had collapsed, particularly after, he claimed, President Tinubu made it clear that he would back candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 elections.
“It is now obvious that Governor Makinde has realised that the road to reconciliation has closed,” Fayose said, describing Makinde’s recent public statements as a shift toward opposition politics.
The former governor further argued that Makinde’s posture would have been different had he received what he described as a “soft landing” from the President during the visit.
Fayose also called on the APC in Oyo State to intensify preparations for the 2027 elections, alleging that Makinde may seek to sponsor a candidate outside the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), possibly under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Neither Governor Makinde nor the Presidency has responded publicly to Fayose’s claims.
