According to Mr. Udom Emmanuel, the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, he is unaware that Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo State, is a candidate for president in 2027. He said this while answering questions from reporters who had met him at an Abuja event.
He responded, “Governor Makinde is my friend, a former colleague, and one of the strong leaders of the PDP, to which I belong,” when asked if he would back Seyi Makinde’s bid for the presidency. I can say with honor that Seyi has never disclosed his presidential candidacy to me. Given our close relationship, I believe that he is using this slant as a form of blackmail, either to keep him from continuing to support our party’s reconstruction efforts or to plant seeds of animosity between him and the president. Anybody who wants to run for office will often conduct consultations to gain support from the public, but my friend Seyi hasn’t gotten in touch with me or anyone I know about that issue.
The former governor of Akwa Ibom responded in an effort to make clear where he stood on the prevailing rumors regarding his colleague’s aspirations to become president. “What I know and I’m certain of is that he (Seyi), like many of us in the PDP, is dedicated to the resuscitation of the party that gave us a platform for political recognition and service to our people,” Mr. Emmanuel continued. It would be unethical for us to simply leave the celebration. Our multi-party democratic system needs to be supported in order to remain stable. We must instill the culture of political tolerance that contributes to the consolidation of democracy in countries like Nigeria, where it is practiced, as there will always be a ruling party and opposition parties.
Many people have questioned Mr. Emmanuel’s somewhat quiet political career since he left government in 2023, which coincides with his remarks. “I had promised at the twilight of my administration that when I leave office, I will leave the stage for my successor and retreat to my private life and engagements, and that is exactly what I have done,” Mr. Emmanuel said in response to a question about why he has been silent and has not made any political statements or posturing. Despite my return to my private life, I have neither abandoned or resigned from politics. Ultimately, I continue to connect with and exchange ideas with a wide range of leaders at various levels, particularly governors who seek my advice on a variety of public governance-related issues. According to the Holy Book, everything has its time, in my opinion. Accordingly, everything has its time, including politics and business, and I’m living up to that idea.
These Emmanuel denials and explanations come amid recent frenzied political conjecture and aggressive sponsored propaganda directed at former Governor Udom Emmanuel and Governor Seyi Makinde on the latter’s purported political aspirations and the former’s backing.
