Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has sent a firm, strategic piece of political advice to a frontline governorship hopeful of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), warning them against inheriting his personal political battles or enemies as the newly formed PDP-APM alliance swings into full gear.
The highly instructional warning, breaking on Thursday, May 28, 2026, comes just two weeks after Makinde pulled off a massive political masterstroke by officially joining forces with the APM and declaring his candidacy for Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election at a historic rally inside Mapo Hall, Ibadan.
Addressing the APM governorship aspirant and party leaders during a high-profile strategic harmonization meeting in Ibadan, Makinde noted that while he is building an aggressive nationwide framework to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), younger politicians looking to secure regional mandates must approach local alignments with independent, pragmatic flexibility.
The Oyo State helmsman cautioned that dragging his historic political grudges or rivalries into localized governorship races would only create avoidable frictions, alienate potential cross-party voters, and compromise the overarching objective of the opposition coalition.
“In politics, relationships must remain dynamic, and your primary focus must be winning the hearts of your local electorate. Do not inherit my political enemies. Who I have political issues with should not dictate how you build your bridges or negotiate your local alliances. Focus on the structural goals of the APM and our grand coalition; do not take on unnecessary battles that do not serve your immediate political survival.”
Makinde’s candid counsel highlights the intricate, highly delicate nature of the new political marriage between a heavy faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the APM. While the alliance is designed to create a formidable, unified front to wrestle national power from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, the regional dynamics require governorship and legislative hopefuls to navigate deep-seated local rivalries independently.
The governor’s warning has sparked heavy conversations and deep analysis across Nigerian political circles and X (formerly Twitter). Political pundits are widely praising Makinde’s mature, pragmatic approach to coalition-building—noting that by giving his allies the green light to maintain independent political relationships, he is strategically ensuring that the PDP-APM alliance remains fluid, adaptable, and capable of pulling surprise cross-carpeting support across volatile states.
