2027: Makinde Opens Door to Alliance With Atiku, Obi, Says Talks Ongoing

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared his readiness to work with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, as opposition leaders explore possible alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Makinde made the disclosure during an interview with ARISE News anchor, Ojy Okpe, aired on Friday, confirming that discussions were ongoing among opposition figures on how to build a political platform capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The governor said he was actively involved in the consultations, dismissing suggestions that his position amounted to merely expressing support for an opposition coalition.

“Discussions among opposition figures are ongoing, and I am actively involved in efforts to determine the most viable political arrangement ahead of the election. We are still discussing,” he said.

Makinde, however, declined to endorse either Atiku or Obi as his preferred candidate, insisting that any decision on a possible alliance should be guided by evidence rather than emotions or individual political preferences.

According to him, the opposition must consider candidates’ manifestos, their records in public office and the prevailing sentiments of Nigerians before settling on an arrangement.

“To arrive at a decision, you need data. We just won’t take emotional decisions and say, ‘Oh, it’s you.’ We have manifestos now, we have certain things in those manifestos,” he said.

He added that the opposition could still end up as political rivals or collaborators, depending on the outcome of consultations and developments before the election.

“Depending on what we see between now and the election time, we may be rivals, we may be collaborators, we may be — one may be the client of the other,” Makinde stated.

The governor’s comments come amid growing conversations about a possible opposition alliance to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the APC in 2027.

Makinde had recently announced his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), despite having supported Tinubu’s presidential bid in 2023.

In his newsletter, titled RESET NIGERIA, the Oyo governor explained that his decision to challenge the president was not motivated by a personal disagreement or simply a desire to occupy the presidency.

“I supported President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023. Today, I am running against him in the 2027 presidential election,” he wrote.

Makinde said he had initially backed Tinubu because he believed the president could build a government of national unity and competence while addressing the country’s economic challenges and expanding opportunities for Nigerians.

However, he said his assessment of the administration had changed after three years in office.

“Three years later, I no longer believe his administration is taking us in that direction,” he stated.

His latest remarks leave open the possibility of cooperation with other opposition figures, even as he pursues his own presidential ambition, with the shape of any eventual alliance still subject to ongoing negotiations.