The ambition of Seyi Makinde for the Nigerian presidency in 2027 has encountered a setback after prominent traditional and community leaders in Ibadan rejected an alleged endorsement of the Oyo State governor by some individuals claiming to represent the city’s Mogajis and other local stakeholders.
A video circulating online had shown individuals purportedly declaring support for Makinde, the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), while also backing Bimbo Adekanmbi as the party’s governorship candidate in Oyo State for the 2027 election.
The declaration has now been disowned by the recognised leadership of several traditional and community institutions in Ibadanland.
The Association of Mogajis in Ibadanland and the Ibadan Compound Peace Initiative (ICPI) said the people behind the video had no mandate to make such a declaration on behalf of the wider Ibadan traditional institution.
In a joint statement, Mogaji Asimiyu Ariori, President of the Association of Mogajis in Ibadanland, and Mogaji Dr Nurudeen Akinade, Coordinator of the ICPI, said their organisations were not involved in the purported endorsement.
According to them, the association, which has more than 400 Mogajis under Ariori’s leadership, was not approached or consulted before the declaration was made.
The two leaders therefore urged Nigerians and residents of Oyo State to disregard the video, describing the action behind it as “a schematic drama and theatre.”
They further stressed that the alleged endorsement could not be regarded as an official position of Ibadanland because the major traditional institutions and community leadership structures were not part of it.
“The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Olubadan-in-Council and CCII including all Baales in Ibadanland don’t know anything about the endorsement,” the statement said.
Makinde entered the 2027 presidential contest under the APM in May and later secured the party’s presidential ticket at its primary election in Ibadan. His campaign has been centred on the idea of resetting the country, with governance, economic development, security and public services forming key areas of emphasis.
The governor is expected to run with former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Musa Daura, as his running mate.
The APM has however received backing from some prominent figures. At the inauguration of the party’s presidential campaign office in Abuja, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed described Makinde as one of the country’s strongest political talents and warned against dismissing the party’s chances in the coming election.
“Whoever disregards us is at his own peril, we are here to reset Nigeria and we are bringing in one of the best human capitals that Nigeria has ever produced at the sub-national and national level, that is Makinde,” Mohammed said.
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), was also present at the event and spoke favourably about Makinde’s qualification to contest the presidency.
“We want a Nigeria of unity, inclusion; we have a candidate who is contesting for President today, my dear brother Makinde. Is he qualified to be President? Yes, he is qualified,” Obi said.
He used the occasion to call for an election in which Nigerians would be allowed to freely choose their leaders, regardless of political differences.
“What we are doing today, for us is not about desperation but we want Nigerians to make their choice. All of us should come together to build a new Nigeria. We can’t continue the way we are going, our people are hungry and poor,” Obi said.
He further stated that politicians should be able to work together after elections in the national interest.
“Whoever wins genuinely from a free, fair, and credible election, we will all work together to save this country from collapse,” he added.
