Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has accused President Bola Tinubu of betraying a written pre-election pact for a government of national unity — a deal he says pushed him to back Tinubu in 2023 against his own party, and which now haunts any talk of working with him again.
In a bombshell interview aired on Friday with ARISE News anchor Ojy Okpe, Makinde dropped the revelation he had kept close to his chest for two years: his support for Tinubu was not ethnic loyalty. It was a signed agreement.
“I still have the agreement with us,” Makinde declared.
And according to him, Tinubu did not keep it.
“I’ve had a certain experience with him, you know, where agreement was signed. And he didn’t keep to it,” he said.
Makinde threw the challenge back to his critics:
“Tell us if the agreement was fulfilled. That’s wrong. Tell us if, not in terms of something personal, what has Nigeria got out of this? Are we having a government of national unity right now?”
The governor’s disclosure reframes one of the most controversial decisions of the 2023 election — his decision as a PDP governor to support the APC presidential candidate.
It was a move that put him at war with sections of his own party and raised questions about his allegiance. On Friday, Makinde insisted it was never about shared Yoruba identity.
It was about inclusion. About a government that would accommodate different interests. About Nigeria.
He admitted it was a massive political gamble. He was seeking re-election in Oyo while openly backing a presidential candidate from another party — with no guarantee voters would forgive him.
“It was not based on any assurance that it would improve my chances,” he said.
Now, with 2027 consultations gathering pace, Makinde was asked point-blank: would he work with Tinubu again?
His answer drew a sharp contrast with his dealings with other opposition leaders.
“I’ve not had that issue with him before, with Atiku Abubakar, or H.E. Peter Obi,” he stated.
The message was clear: his hesitation is not about cross-party cooperation. It is about broken trust.
Makinde, who is positioning himself for a possible presidential run in 2027, said any future opposition alliance must be driven by Nigeria’s interest — not personal ambition.
He confirmed consultations among opposition figures are ongoing, but stopped short of announcing a final deal or a settled platform.
Crucially, Makinde did not release the full contents of the alleged agreement during the interview — no list of all signatories, no specific terms of the proposed unity government. The document was also not independently examined on air.
As of press time, neither the Presidency nor President Tinubu has responded to the allegations.
