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• Presidential project dead on arrival – Alli campaign
• You’re twisting diplomatic courtesy, afraid of defeat –APM council
By Oluseye Ojo
Senator Sharafadeen Alli’s campaign organisation and the Oyo State APM Governorship Campaign Council have clashed over Governor Seyi Makinde’s 2027 presidential ambition, with Alli’s camp declaring the project “dead on arrival” and the APM council accusing it of distorting Governor Bala Mohammed’s remarks to undermine Makinde.
The exchanges brought the viability of Makinde’s presidential ambition and his record in Oyo into dispute, as Alli’s organisation demanded an account of his stewardship while the APM council claimed its opponents were afraid of defeat in the approaching governorship election.
The row followed Bauchi State Governor Mohammed’s reported commendation of President Bola Tinubu’s performance in finance, health and security, which Alli’s campaign said exposed contradictions within the political camp supporting Makinde.
In a statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Bisi Oladele, the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) questioned the justification for Makinde’s ambition if one of his prominent supporters believed the incumbent President was performing well.
“The question Nigerians should now ask is simple, if one of the principal promoters of Makinde’s presidential ambition truthfully admits that President Tinubu is doing well, what exactly is the justification for Makinde asking Nigerians to replace the President?” it asked.
But the APM campaign council, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Co-Director of Media and Publicity, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, rejected that interpretation, describing Mohammed’s remarks as routine intergovernmental courtesy.
“His acknowledgment of federal efforts was the kind of polite, administrative diplomacy governors extend to the centre when collaboration yields results. It was not an endorsement of President Bola Tinubu, not a shift in political allegiance, and certainly not a denial of Governor Makinde’s leadership,” Olanrewaju said.
SSACO, however, argued that Mohammed’s remarks reinforced its position that Tinubu’s reforms were producing results, strengthening states’ finances and enabling development projects at the subnational level.
It alleged that Makinde’s presidential ambition was principally a strategy to strengthen his bargaining position ahead of the elections.
“We have always maintained that Makinde’s so-called presidential ambition appears less like a serious pathway to Aso Rock and more like a political bargaining chip designed to enhance his negotiating position in the unfolding 2027 political equation,” it said.
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The organisation questioned the cohesion of the political coalition backing the governor, arguing that presidential elections required structures, numbers, credibility and alliances. “How does a candidate seriously expect Nigerians to believe he can defeat an incumbent president when prominent leaders within his own political family are publicly applauding that President’s performance?” it queried.
SSACO urged Makinde to account for his administration’s debt profile, the local economy, infrastructure, education, healthcare and workers’ welfare as he prepared to leave office in 2027. Although it acknowledged his right to seek the presidency, the organisation said he should not confuse aspiration with electoral strength.
“Governor Makinde is free to aspire to the highest office in the land. That is his constitutional right. But he should not mistake ambition for viability, publicity for popularity or political bargaining for a genuine national movement,” it said.
Responding, Olanrewaju argued that acknowledging federal assistance was an established practice among governors and did not signify a change in political loyalty. He cited Makinde’s acknowledgment of the Federal Government’s role in the rescue of people kidnapped in Oriire on May 15, saying Mohammed’s remarks belonged to the same tradition of administrative cooperation.
According to him, the remarks did not invalidate Mohammed’s earlier description of Makinde as the leader best suited for the presidency or confer an electoral advantage on the All Progressives Congress.
“No alliance was formed, no defection announced, and no political concession made,” he said.
Olanrewaju accused Alli’s campaign of attempting to weaken Makinde’s political influence through distortion, maintaining that the governor’s performance and relationship with residents remained strong.
“The people of Oyo State are not fooled by such theatrics. They have seen Makinde’s work, felt its impact, and watched his leadership evolve with consistency and clarity. No amount of spin can erase that,” he said.
He alleged that the campaign’s response reflected anxiety about the governorship election and would not change voter sentiment.
“The electorate is determined to keep them perpetually away from the Agodi Government House,” he said.
