Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said he had already made his first $1 million by the age of 29, at a time when the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT), Nyesom Wike, had probably just left law school.
Makinde made the disclosure during a media chat on Tuesday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, while explaining his decision not to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027 and addressing widening political differences within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Reflecting on his early career, the governor recalled securing his first major contract with Mobil, valued at $1 million, describing the deal as a defining moment that influenced his journey in business and politics.
Speaking further, Makinde linked his comments to his political divergence from Wike, noting that tensions became evident during a meeting involving the FCT minister, President Tinubu, the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and other officials.
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According to the governor, Wike told the President that he would “hold the PDP” for him ahead of the 2027 elections, a statement he said left him stunned.
“The President did not ask him to do this; he volunteered. Wike is within his rights to support Tinubu, but those of us who want to ensure the survival of multiparty democracy and the PDP should also be allowed to make our own decisions,” Makinde said.
Makinde added that despite attempts to engage Wike on the matter, there was no change in position, forcing him to take a clear stand.
“I told him from that day that I would never be a part of this. Wike can support him, and that is within his right, but it is equally my right to decide who I will support and what role I will play in 2027,” he added.
The governor’s remarks underscore growing divisions within the PDP, with one faction aligned with Wike and perceived to be leaning toward President Tinubu, while another faction, led by Makinde, is pushing for party independence and the protection of multiparty democracy ahead of the 2027 elections.