With about 10 months to the commencement of the processes leading to the next general elections across the country, some political pundits and stakeholders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are upbeat about who can wrestle and defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.
After suffering successive defeats in three presidential elections, PDP seeks a new direction as it marches towards 2027.
Some PDP stakeholders, just like the American historian Allan Lichtman, renowned for accurately predicting nine out of the 10 most recent presidential elections in the United States of America, are said to have zeroed in on Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde as the
likely candidate to clinch the party’s presidential ticket in 2027.
Although Makinde’s bid for the presidency remains speculatory, indications are strong that not a few persons within the party agree with the potency of a Makinde ticket.
As the nation wallows in excruciating hardship, aggravated by petrol prices, electricity tariff hikes, and devaluation of the naira, Nigerians are increasingly coming to terms with the impact of the 2023 general elections, which retained the APC in power.
As such, with the longing for a leadership change at the national level poised to gain momentum in the build up to 2027, the task of having a virile political platform might not be enough if a formidable candidate isn’t presented.
In spite of the internal bickering in the PDP, some stakeholders are convinced that the party’s pathway to success in the 2027 general elections is to field the Oyo-born businessman cum politician as its candidate to slug it out with APC’s automatic choice of President Bola Tinubu.
For key stakeholders who advanced this stance, Governor Makinde has the credentials and pedigree to chart the way to victory for the PDP in 2027.
Unlike the PDP’s choice of a northern candidate in the 2023 presidential elections, pundits and stakeholders are of the view that a southern candidate should fly the flag of the party in 2027.
According to them, it will heal the wounds the southern flank suffered as a result of former vice president Atiku Abubakar flying the party’s 2023 presidential ticket.
To this end, some stakeholders recently began the campaign for Makinde to contest the 2027 presidential election.
A group, under the auspices of ‘Progressive Youth for Makinde Presidency 2027’ in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, asserted that Makinde has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and a commitment to good governance, making him fit for the presidency of Nigeria.
The group started the 2027 presidential campaign for Makinde in June this year. Although their campaign for Makinde 2027 has been largely limited to social media, their message resonates with the leadership qualities of the Oyo State Governor.
One prominent supporter of Makinde, Olamilekan Kehinde, who has not hidden his quest to see the governor contest the 2027 presidential election, expressed confidence in Makinde’s capability, saying Makinde has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities and a commitment to good governance, making him fit for the presidency of Nigeria compared to the current leadership of the country.
Corroborating, the Oyo Renaissance Group, described Makinde as a committed party man who has never abandoned the goals and aspirations of the PDP.
Coordinator of the group, Comrade Dayo Adedoyin, in a recent statement said, “Governor Makinde has demonstrated his leadership qualities and strong capacity to deliver on his promises and mandate to his people in Oyo State in the array of people’s-oriented projects and policies he has achieved over time as Governor of Oyo State from 2019 to date.
“Governor Makinde is fully committed to the course of the Party and will continue to work with his colleague governors elected on the platform of the PDP in various states of the federation by implementing the manifesto and policy thrust of the Party.”
Checks show that Makinde has never shied away from being a committed party man. Findings reveal that the governor, since assumption of office in 2019, has consistently supported PDP staff at the National Secretariat, as well as the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and Board of Trustees (BoT).
He single-handedly funded the new office of the Peoples Democratic Institute (PDI), the think-tank of the party, a project which ran into hundreds of millions of naira.
To further show his unalloyed commitment to the growth and development of the party, Makinde singlehandedly built the PDP Southwest Zonal Secretariat in Ibadan and named it after the late immediate chairman, Hon. Soji Adagunodo who died while in office. The building is set for commissioning soon.
Only recently, he paid the housing allowance for all the staffers of the National Secretariat of the PDP, including the personal aides of the NWC, to the tune of nearly N300 million naira.
Assessing the chances of the PDP in 2027, public affairs analyst and convener, Reset Lagos PDP, Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse, asserted that the PDP has a brighter chance of clinching the presidency in 2027 regardless of the internal wrangling in the party. He also believes the party’s chances will be brighter with Makinde as candidate.
“Political pundits who think that there is a leadership problem in the PDP are badly mistaken. The leadership positions at all levels of the party are intact. Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar is the party’s presidential candidate emeritus, Senator Wabara is the Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State is chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, and Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum is acting national chairman of the party,” Pearse posited.
Pearse, who was a former member, PDP National Presidential Campaign Council (2023), maintained that, contrary to popular opinion, the PDP does not zone the presidential ticket since nobody from any political zone is barred from participating in party primaries. What determines the zone of the president is the emergence of the national chairman.
He said from all indications, the national chairman’s position will continue in the North and the presidential ticket will go to the South.
On the perception of Governor Makinde as the likely flag bearer of the Party in 2027, Dr. Pearse said Makinde is perceived by many as the likely presidential candidate of the PDP in 2027.
“I think this perception is driven by Makinde’s sterling performance as the Executive Governor of Oyo State, his amiable character, his commitment to democracy, and the rule of law. He runs an inclusive administration. I am told they call him “Seyi the Beloved.”
“If Makinde wins the PDP Presidential Primaries and comes out as the Party’s candidate, he will become Nigeria’s president in 2027,” said Pearse.
He further stated that Nigeria needs a change of direction from the apocalyptic government of the APC.
“No political party is perfect, but compared to the APC, PDP is a gem,” Pearse posited.
The deputy national publicity secretary of PDP, Dr. Ibrahim Abdullahi, thinks the same.
And he believes Makinde can be PDP’s political ace in the contest.
In his submission, Abdullahi said PDP’s chances in 2027 are brighter than ever on account of the dismal performance of Tinubu and the APC-led government, which continues to inflict untold hardship and frustration in the land.
“Given the turn of events, zoning the 2027 Presidency to the South-West would be informed and strategic for the PDP with a formidable Northern consensus in who becomes the running mate.
“This is to appease Southern sentiments on demographics of region and religion and particularly the Tinubu syndrome from that divide.
“Governor Seyi Makinde would have matched the exact description of PDP’s Joker in the 2027 calculation for the presidential ticket.
“Ironically, however, the governor hasn’t shown any interest yet, as he seems engrossed in delivering people-oriented and socio-economic infrastructure for his people in Oyo State. He is one of the best performers as a governor in this republic. He is measured and most
predictable and enjoys a good age for the herculean job.
“The country is in disarray and shambles, no thanks to the inept and clueless APC. It appears to be on autopilot with no one responsible for its management. Spiralling inflation has combined with administrative incompetence in rendering Nigeria the worst country on planet Earth, to live in,” Abdullahi said.
Makinde is however no stranger to overcoming political odds just like he did in 2019, when he defeated the powers that be in Oyo State to win the governorship election.
The PDP in Oyo State before 2019 was comatose.
Ahead of the 2019 election, the only big shot in the party, former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, dumped it for the Accord Party because he was displeased with the sharing of the party structure.
A highly placed source at the heart of the politics of Oyo State said, “I remembered then that even the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, was vehemently against Ladoja leaving the party, to the point that he (Atiku) called the then-national organising secretary, Col. Austin Akobundu retired (now a Senator), and then-national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, that under no circumstances must Ladoja leave the party.
“Ladoja left the party a few months left to the 2019 general elections, and the only person left (amongst a few other stakeholders) was the gubernatorial candidate of the PDP, Seyi Makinde.
“The 2019 Presidential Results showed that PDP won the state for Atiku, and Seyi Makinde went on to win the gubernatorial election with a very wide margin.
“Yes, anyone can win elections, but truth be told, in Oyo State then, Makinde swam against the tide, he fought a sitting government, the two former governors (Ladoja and the Late Alao Akala) who were both on different divides, a sitting minister, and most importantly, an APC Federal Government at the centre.
“He was able to pull it through with the people, and God’s ultimate power was with him. Before 2019, the Party had zero representation at all the national level, however, in the 2019 general elections, the PDP won the governor, a senator, and five federal house seats, all these from a Party tagged as dead,” the source said.
As the PDP seeks a new direction ahead of 2027, can Makinde, popularly known as the PDP Star-Boy, repeat history by defeating the odds to emerge the party’s presidential candidate?
The answer lies in the months ahead.