Oyo APC Raises Accountability Questions Over Makinde’s 2027 Presidential Bid
The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has intensified its political offensive against Governor Seyi Makinde, linking his 2027 presidential campaign to unresolved questions it says surround the financial and administrative activities of his government.
In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the opposition party alleged that Makinde’s emergence as the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) should not prevent relevant institutions from scrutinising his administration.
The APC levelled a series of allegations against the governor, including claims relating to local government funds, contract variations, government property transactions, loans, asset declarations and compliance with court orders.
However, the allegations remain claims by the opposition party, and no evidence establishing the accusations as proven offences was presented in the statement.
Makinde, who has governed Oyo State since 2019 and is currently serving his second and constitutionally final term, has stepped up his national political activities ahead of the 2027 general election.
His presidential campaign under the APM has adopted the “Reset Nigeria” agenda, through which the governor has been presenting proposals on economic management, transparency, petroleum pricing and governance.
The APC, however, questioned the motivation behind the presidential project, alleging that the campaign could be designed to divert public attention from scrutiny of Makinde’s record in Oyo State.
Sadare further claimed that anti-corruption and security agencies would eventually require the governor and other officials to respond to questions surrounding the administration.
The party did not provide evidence in its statement showing that Makinde had been charged or convicted in relation to the allegations it raised.
Beyond the accountability dispute, the APC also questioned the political strength of the APM ahead of the presidential election, arguing that the party would have to substantially expand its national structure to compete effectively across Nigeria.
Makinde has nevertheless continued to present his presidential campaign as an alternative governance movement built around economic reforms, accountability and improved management of Nigeria’s resources.
At the recent commissioning of his presidential campaign office in Abuja, the governor said his Reset Nigeria project would seek greater transparency in government and ensure that Nigerians receive measurable benefits from the country’s natural resources.
The escalating exchange therefore opens another front in the political contest ahead of 2027, with Makinde seeking to sell his record in Oyo State as evidence of his readiness for national leadership while the APC attempts to place that same record under greater scrutiny.
As campaigns gather momentum, the dispute is likely to shift attention toward the governor’s stewardship of Oyo State since 2019 and the extent to which competing claims about his administration can be independently verified.
