Oyo Governor Makinde’s Chief of Staff Segun Ogunwuyi Resigns, Fueling Defection Rumours Ahead of 2027

Segun Ogunwuyi, the Chief of Staff to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, has resigned from his position with immediate effect, becoming the latest senior aide to leave the administration in a wave of departures that has raised questions about the governor’s political camp ahead of the 2027 elections.

Ogunwuyi announced his resignation in a letter dated Monday, October 12, 2026, addressed to Governor Makinde. He did not state a reason for his departure in the letter, which took effect the same day.

“I respectfully write to resign my appointment as Chief of Staff to the Governor of Oyo State, with effect from today, 12th October, 2026,” Ogunwuyi wrote.

In the letter, Ogunwuyi expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve, describing his time in the administration as an honour. “Serving the Government and the good people of Oyo State has been a great honour. It has been deeply fulfilling to be part of the exceptional team that has worked relentlessly to deliver the remarkable achievements of this administration,” he said.

He added that he remained proud of the administration’s record, particularly its efforts to promote the state’s growth and development. “I remain immensely proud of what we have collectively accomplished in advancing the growth, development and prosperity of our dear State,” the letter read. “As I take this decision, I do so with profound gratitude for the opportunity to serve, with confidence in the continued progress of Oyo State”.

Ogunwuyi concluded by reaffirming his loyalty to the state and the country. “Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest esteem and unwavering loyalty to Oyo State and the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he wrote.

His resignation has fuelled speculation about a possible defection to the All Progressives Congress, with sources pointing to internal disagreements within Makinde’s political camp.

“There have been internal disagreements within the political camp, and Ogunwuyi’s resignation has further fuelled speculation about possible realignments ahead of the 2027 elections,” a source familiar with the developments said. “There are suggestions that he could be considering joining the APC, but we cannot say that definitively at this stage”.

There has been no official confirmation that Ogunwuyi intends to join the APC, and neither he nor the governor’s office has publicly addressed the speculation.

Ogunwuyi is a former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly and the House of Representatives, where he represented the Ogbomoso North, South and Oriire Federal Constituency.

He became a key figure in Makinde’s administration after the governor assumed office in 2019, serving first as Executive Assistant on Investment before heading the Oyo State Investment and Public-Private Partnership Agency. He was appointed Chief of Staff in 2021, replacing Bisi Ilaka.

His resignation comes amid a series of departures by political appointees from the Makinde administration over the past two months, a development that has drawn attention to the political undercurrents within the Oyo State Government as the 2027 general elections approach.

Governor Makinde is pursuing a presidential bid in the 2027 general elections on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement.