Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, on Thursday, dismissed suggestions of any rift between him and President Bola Tinubu, insisting that his relationship with the President remained cordial and anchored on governance rather than partisan politics.
Makinde spoke to State House correspondents after a meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa Abuja, where he said discussions focused on issues of national and subnational governance.
“The President is the President of Nigeria, not the President of APC, and we’re talking about governance here. So I came to discuss with the President on some governance issues, basically,” the governor said.
Responding to questions on whether the visit signalled a warming relationship with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Makinde said political differences had never translated into hostility or a breakdown of cooperation.
“There’s nothing that I’ve said in the past that says we’re not enjoying a harmonious relationship. Politics is politics. We belong to different political parties, but Nigeria is a project that all Nigerians must be concerned about,” he stated.
He identified insecurity, poverty alleviation and the general welfare of citizens as issues that transcend party lines, stressing that leaders at all levels must work together to improve the lives of Nigerians.
“These are things that have no colouration of a party. As leaders, whether President or governor, those are things we have to work together on, consult with one another, and ensure that we can make life better for our people,” Makinde added.
Addressing speculation that he might defect to the APC following the recent movement of some opposition figures to the ruling party, the Oyo State governor firmly ruled out the idea and reaffirmed his loyalty to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“No. I’m comfortable in the PDP,” he said, while acknowledging that certain national challenges required bipartisan cooperation.
“There are times when you need everybody on board to take the best step forward in the interest of our nation,” Makinde noted.
