Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has offered his own account of events surrounding the recent visit of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, on Thursday, the 22nd of January, 2026.
According to Fayose, the meeting did not unfold the way it was publicly portrayed. He alleged that Governor Makinde was unwilling to meet the President on his own and instead came along with the Governor of Plateau State for support, a move Fayose described as a clear sign of hesitation.
In a statement personally signed by him, Fayose narrated what he called the details of the closed-door engagement. He stated: “First, Governor Seyi Makinde demonstrated that he now lacked enough courage to face the President alone; he had to enlist the support of the Plateau State Governor.
“The President told him that if it was about official matters regarding Oyo State, he would listen to him.
“But if it had to do with politics, or any claim that it was Wike who angered him to go on TV to accuse him (the President) of plotting to turn the country into a one-party state, it is better to, as usual, go on TV to say all he (Makinde) had to say.
“He was told pointedly that he can’t come to the closet on political matters to eat his words while saying something different to the public.
“Furthermore, the President told Governor Makinde that he was not expecting any support from him regarding 2027, and that he should also expect that he (the President) will support his party.
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“Lastly, the President made it clear to Makinde that Wike is someone whose support and consistency he (the President) cannot deny or wish away. Therefore, if Makinde has issues with Wike, that is between the two of them; I should be left out of it.
“That’s why Makinde told the press that he’s comfortable in the PDP. It’s because of the reality that there’s nothing for him in the APC.
“And after this meeting, shouldn’t Makinde tell the people of Oyo State if he has returned the N30bn he admitted to have received from the Federal Government as an intervention fund for the January 2023 Ibadan explosion?”
Fayose’s statement adds a fresh layer to the political conversation surrounding the visit, raising questions about party loyalty, future alliances, and unresolved financial issues linked to the Oyo State government.