The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) has described the reported rejection of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde by leaders of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) in the South-South geopolitical zone as a significant setback for his alleged presidential ambition, insisting that the development reinforces its position that the governor’s aspiration is politically untenable.
The campaign organisation, which is supporting Senator Sharafadeen Alli’s political ambition in Oyo State, argued that the reported disagreement between Makinde and the APM South-South leaders reflects deeper concerns about the governor’s leadership style, party management and ability to build the broad-based political alliances required to pursue a presidential bid successfully.
The position followed a newspaper advertorial published on Wednesday by APM leaders in the South-South, in which they reportedly passed a vote of no confidence in Makinde, accusing him of lacking the substance, political will and strategic focus required to provide effective leadership for the party.
In their reported criticism, the party stakeholders questioned the governor’s credibility and capacity to manage internal party relationships, alleging that his conduct had undermined confidence among members who expected transparency, consistency and responsible leadership.
“He came to the party with a promise of lies and has been wallowing in an ocean of dishonesty, political compromise and incompetence. If he cannot be honest to his party men, how can he be honest to Nigerians he aspires to lead?” the South-South leaders reportedly queried.
Reacting to the development in a statement issued on Wednesday, SSACO Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele, said the position attributed to the South-South leaders vindicated the organisation’s earlier claims that Makinde’s presidential ambition was not driven by a realistic electoral strategy but was, rather, a political manoeuvre intended to strengthen his bargaining position ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The campaign organisation alleged that the governor was using the presidential ambition narrative to negotiate political concessions and secure a favourable position in the evolving political landscape, rather than pursuing a genuinely viable path to the nation’s highest political office.
According to SSACO, Makinde’s position as a sitting governor does not automatically translate into nationwide political acceptance, particularly where disagreements with party stakeholders and questions about internal leadership continue to emerge.
The organisation further alleged that the governor’s political calculations were partly aimed at weakening President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s electoral prospects in the South-West, especially in Oyo State, where political alignments ahead of the 2027 elections are expected to shape the contest for national and state-level offices.
SSACO maintained that Makinde’s alleged strategy would ultimately fail, insisting that President Tinubu would defeat him politically in Oyo State and that the governor’s influence would not be sufficient to determine the outcome of the presidential election in the region.
The organisation also turned its attention to the anticipated Oyo State governorship contest, declaring its confidence that Senator Sharafadeen Alli would defeat the candidate it described as Makinde’s preferred successor, Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi.
It alleged that Makinde was determined to install Adekanmbi for what it termed an “undemocratic third term,” a characterisation reflecting the campaign organisation’s opposition to the governor’s perceived succession plans.
SSACO, however, expressed confidence that Alli’s development-focused agenda, known as the Oyo AHEAD agenda, would provide a credible alternative for the people of Oyo State and accelerate development if the senator secures the governorship in 2027.
“The good news is that he will not only lose to President Tinubu in Oyo State, his lackey — Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi — who he is desperate to install for an undemocratic third term, will be flatly defeated by Senator Sharafadeen Alli, whose Oyo AHEAD agenda will put Oyo State on a faster development lane from next year,” the statement said.
The campaign organisation argued that the reported criticism from the South-South had broader implications for Makinde’s national political calculations, suggesting that resistance from party stakeholders outside Oyo State could complicate any attempt to assemble a formidable coalition around his presidential aspiration.
It maintained that presidential politics requires more than the institutional advantages associated with occupying a governorship position, stressing that national leadership ambitions depend on credibility, party cohesion, political organisation and the ability to sustain confidence among stakeholders across the country’s geopolitical zones.
SSACO also claimed that Makinde’s political structures in Oyo State were experiencing increasing pressure, alleging that the resignation of aides and the reported departure of some political associates and party leaders had weakened his influence and exposed growing dissatisfaction within his political camp.
According to the organisation, the alleged internal discontent raises questions about the governor’s ability to maintain cohesion among his supporters at home while simultaneously pursuing broader political objectives at the national level.
The campaign organisation cited a question reportedly raised by an APM leader during a meeting on Tuesday to reinforce its criticism of the governor’s leadership capacity.
“If a man cannot manage his party in his own state, how can he manage Nigeria?” the party leader reportedly asked.
SSACO said the question captured what it described as the central contradiction in Makinde’s presidential ambition: the challenge of seeking national leadership while facing allegations of strained relationships with political associates and party stakeholders.
The organisation further alleged that the South-South stakeholders’ reported position reflected concerns similar to those it had repeatedly raised about the governor’s relationship with political structures and individuals who contributed to his electoral victories in Oyo State in 2019 and 2023.
According to SSACO, Makinde had allegedly failed to sustain the relationships and political arrangements that helped secure those victories, resulting in what it described as growing isolation within his political circle.
The organisation also pointed to reported resignations within the governor’s administration, claiming that the frequency of departures among political aides had become a source of concern and could further undermine public confidence in the cohesion of his government.
“In the past few weeks, no single day passes without one aide or the other resigning from his sinking cabinet. It has shown that Governor Seyi Makinde, who cannot manage his own men within Oyo State, needs not be taken seriously about his ambition. It is dead on arrival,” the statement concluded.
The campaign organisation said it would continue to challenge what it described as Makinde’s political calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections, while projecting Senator Alli as a stronger alternative for Oyo State.
It added that the emerging political disagreements surrounding Makinde should serve as a reminder that presidential ambition must be supported by demonstrable political credibility, effective party management and broad-based acceptance rather than public declarations alone.
The allegations and political forecasts contained in the statement represent SSACO’s position. The reported vote of no confidence, the motivations attributed to Makinde and the predictions concerning the 2027 elections were not independently established in the information provided.
