KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, and ex-Osun governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta on Sunday.
- Makinde said on Facebook that the Abeokuta meeting discussed important national issues and the forthcoming general election, but he did not disclose details.
- The visit drew attention as Makinde declared in May he will run for president in 2027, while Obasanjo has not endorsed any candidate.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; and a former Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, on Sunday visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
CityNews reports that the meeting came amid growing political consultations and realignments ahead of the 2027 general election.
Makinde disclosed the visit in a brief post on Facebook, saying discussions with the former president focused on important national matters and the forthcoming election.
“Earlier today, we visited Baba, His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR in Abeokuta,” Makinde wrote.
“Our discussions centred on important national issues in view of the upcoming general election. We appreciate Baba for his wise counsel at this crucial time in our nation’s history.”
Although details of the discussions were not disclosed, the presence of the three political figures has heightened speculation about fresh alignments ahead of the presidential election.
Makinde formally declared his intention to contest the presidency in May as he approaches the end of his second term as Oyo State governor.
The governor, who emerged as the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, announced his ambition during a joint mega rally involving the Peoples Democratic Party and the APM in Ibadan.
Declaring that “the time to reset Nigeria is now,” Makinde said the country’s condition had continued to deteriorate, leaving many Nigerians struggling to survive.
He also accused public officials responsible for citizens’ welfare of abandoning their responsibilities.
Makinde is expected to contest the 2027 presidential election against several leading political figures.
They include President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, who is seeking a second term; former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress; and Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
The Abeokuta meeting has attracted particular attention because Oyinlola remains a chieftain of the PDP, while Fayemi is a member of the APC.
Obasanjo has yet to publicly announce the candidate he will support in the 2027 presidential election.
The former president has, however, been widely linked to Peter Obi’s presidential ambition, although he has made no formal endorsement.
Obasanjo has also been at the centre of renewed political controversy following his allegation that Atiku gave the late former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, ₦5m to commence impeachment proceedings against him during his first term in office.
Atiku rejected the allegation and accused Obasanjo of attempting to rewrite history and weaken opposition figures ahead of the 2027 election.
