By Olumide Olanike | Fact Frontier.
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In a political climate often marked by cautious statements, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State made a strikingly candid admission. At a public event in Ibadan, looking directly at former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, he said,
Sir, I personally miss you in that position.This wasn't mere nostalgia; it was a pointed critique wrapped in a compliment, exposing deep fissures in Nigeria's current governing approach. So, why would a sitting governor publicly express such a sentiment? Let's unpack the layered reasons behind Makinde's remark, which speaks volumes about consultation, power, and the starkly different styles of two administrations.
The Heart of the Matter: A Clash of Governance Styles
At its core, Makinde's statement is a direct comparison between the inclusive, debate-friendly environment he associates with Osinbajo's leadership and the more top-down style he attributes to the current Tinubu presidency. He didn't just speak in vague platitudes; he gave concrete examples that, to him, define the "why" behind his longing.
The most personal example he cited was from the tense early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2020. As a newly elected governor, Makinde faced immense pressure to impose a total lockdown in Oyo State. In the National Economic Council (NEC) meetings chaired by then-Vice President Osinbajo, Makinde argued for a more nuanced approach. He credits Osinbajo for fostering an environment where his dissent was heard and respected, ultimately leading to Oyo State avoiding a blanket lockdown. This experience left a lasting impression of a leadership that valued sub-national perspectives and engaged in genuine dialogue.
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Fast forward to the present, and Makinde describes the opposite experience. He pointed to the recent handling of a federal tax reform bill. According to the governor, state governors collectively raised concerns and requested the bill be withdrawn from the National Assembly for wider consultation. He claims this request was ignored, leaving the governors in the dark.
We don't know what was passed at the National Assembly, we don't also know what was signed,Makinde lamented. This contrast led him to his damning conclusion:
You cannot speak truth to power in this dispensation.For a state governor whose role depends heavily on federal collaboration, this feeling of being sidelined on critical policy is a fundamental grievance.
More Than Policy: A Strategic Political Signal
To view Makinde's words as merely a policy critique would be to miss the larger political chessboard. His statement was a calculated political maneuver with significant implications.
First, consider the players. Seyi Makinde is a governor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the main opposition party. Yemi Osinbajo is a stalwart of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and the man Makinde "misses" is the former deputy to President Muhammadu Buhari, while his critique is aimed at the current APC President, Bola Tinubu. This cross-party praise is highly unusual and deliberately provocative. It signals that Makinde's dissatisfaction transcends party lines and is rooted in a principle of governance.
This move aligns perfectly with Makinde's recent political trajectory. In late 2025, he made headlines by publicly declaring he would not support President Tinubu's re-election bid in 2027. He framed this decision around a concern for Nigeria's democracy, warning against a slide into a "one-party state." His nostalgic praise for Osinbajo, therefore, is another robust brick in the wall of opposition he is building. It legitimizes his stance by appealing to a figure from the ruling party's own recent history, suggesting the problem isn't the APC per se, but its current leadership's style.
What This Reveals About Nigeria's Political Climate
Governor Makinde's public yearning is a symptom of a broader tension in Nigerian federalism: the relationship between the center and the states. His comments throw a spotlight on the perennial struggle for balance between federal authority and state autonomy. When governors, who are the chief executives of their domains, feel they are not consulted on laws that directly impact their jurisdiction, it creates a rift that hampers effective governance.
Furthermore, his stark declaration that one cannot "speak truth to power" today is a serious charge about the health of democratic dialogue. It suggests an environment where dissent is not just discouraged but effectively muted, a worrying prospect for any democracy. By holding up his experience with Osinbajo as a preferable alternative, he is making a public case for a return to a more collaborative and less centralized form of governance.
In the end, Governor Seyi Makinde's statement was far more than a personal compliment. It was a multifaceted political weapon: a specific critique of Tinubu's governing methodology, a strategic move to bolster his opposition credentials, and a public appeal for a return to a more consultative democracy. It reminds us that in politics, praise for the past is often the sharpest tool for criticizing the present. Whether this sentiment resonates with other governors and the public remains to be seen, but it has undoubtedly framed a compelling narrative about leadership and listening in Nigeria's ongoing political journey.
