Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has expressed regret for supporting President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, saying the decision did not yield the results he had anticipated.

Makinde made the disclosure on Tuesday while speaking with journalists at the Government House in Ibadan.

The governor was among the G5 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors who opposed their party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in 2023, arguing that it was the turn of a southerner to lead the country after President Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner.

Makinde explained that his support for Tinubu, then the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was motivated by the belief that Tinubu would act in the national interest if elected.

“I said it earlier, I’m human. I supported the current president, even though I was in another party at the time, because I thought we’d do what is right for the country,” he said.

The governor added that he had hoped the president would reset the country and bring together competent individuals from across Nigeria to tackle the nation’s challenges. “But unfortunately, that is not what we’re seeing. I regret that action. Yes, I do,” he lamented.

Makinde also revealed the source of his political disagreement with FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. He said the rift began after Wike told President Tinubu during a meeting that he would “hold PDP for the President” ahead of the 2027 election, a statement Makinde said was made without the consent of other party members.

“I was in a meeting with the President, Wike, and a few others, and Wike said to the President that he would hold PDP for him against 2027. So, we got up, and I asked Wike, did we agree to this?” Makinde recounted.

He noted that while Wike has the right to support Tinubu’s re-election bid, other party members also have the responsibility to protect the PDP and oppose any actions that could undermine democratic pluralism.