‘Wike Just Left Law School When I Made My First $1Million At 29,’ Governor Makinde Takes Dig At FCT Minister

In a revealing media chat on Tuesday, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde offered a sharp perspective on his professional history and his deepening rift with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Makinde drew a stark contrast between their career paths, recalling his early financial success as a private businessman. “The exact first contract that Mobil gave to Makon (Seyi Makinde’s company), I was 29, it was $1 million. Within that one year, I made $1 million in my pocket. I was 29,” the governor shared. He pointedly added, “1997, Wike perhaps at that time just left law school. And then his next job after that was local government chairman.”

The governor utilized the interview to address the internal crisis currently rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), specifically accusing Wike of undermining the party’s future. Makinde recounted a startling encounter involving President Bola Tinubu, stating, “I was in a meeting with the President and Wike, and Wike said to the President, ‘Sir, I will hold PDP for you against 2027.’ I was in shock.” This statement, according to Makinde, was an unauthorized declaration that prompted an immediate confrontation once the meeting concluded.

Detailing the aftermath of that exchange, Makinde explained that he challenged the FCT Minister’s loyalty right there on the veranda. “We got to the veranda and I asked him, ‘Wike, did we agree to this?’ I don’t like talking about people, but I will talk about the real issue,” he recounted. The Oyo governor made it clear that while Wike has chosen a specific political path for the next general election, he would not be following suit, stating firmly, “Wike can support the president in 2027, but I will not.”

Makinde also revealed that he was transparent with President Tinubu regarding his own political allegiance, refusing to entertain any cross-party collaboration in his home state. “I said, no, sir, I can never help you organise the APC in Oyo State because I am of the PDP,” he explained. The governor argued that the fundamental conflict stems from Wike’s attempt to influence the entire party toward the current administration, noting, “The real issue is that Wike would like to support the President for 2027. That’s fine; it is within his rights. But some of us want to ensure that democracy survives in Nigeria, and that PDP survives as well. He should allow us to make our own choices.”

Ultimately, Makinde characterized the struggle as a battle for the soul of the opposition and personal political autonomy. He disclosed that he had initially tried to resolve the friction through a mutual friend, but was forced to confront Wike directly when the Minister refused to back off. “Wike can support him, but it is also within my right to decide who I will support or what I will do in 2027. This explains the current conflict within the PDP,” he noted. He concluded by reiterating his independence, stating that “it is within my own right to decide within the political space who I will support or what I will do in 2027