Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has boldly asserted his qualifications to lead Nigeria as president, stating he is “even overqualified” for the role, as rumours of his 2027 ambitions intensify.
Speaking at a media parley with selected journalists in Ibadan on Tuesday, Makinde drew parallels between his governance record and that of President Bola Tinubu, emphasising his impending completion of two terms as Oyo State governor.
“Let me make this very clear: to serve this country at the highest level, I am qualified — I’m even overqualified,” Makinde declared. “I ran Oyo State, even the current president — what brought him to the table? He was governor of Lagos State for two terms. By the end of May 2027, by God’s grace and God sparing my life, I will have completed the full tenure as a two-term governor of Oyo State.”
The governor also touted his pre-political career, noting his early success in the private sector. “Professionally, I ran a company from a very young age. At 29, some of my colleagues were still finishing their youth service… I was working for multinational oil companies, including Shell, ExxonMobil, and Chevron,” he said.
While firmly affirming his readiness, Makinde cautioned that discussions about the 2027 presidential election are premature. He stressed the importance of a robust democracy with strong opposition parties and criticised recent defections of governors and politicians to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Governors are defecting from one party to the other, but have hunger and anger in the land also defected?” Makinde rhetorically asked, highlighting persistent socioeconomic challenges facing Nigerians.
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