Governor Seyi Makinde has officially authorised his political appointees and elected officials to kickstart their 2027 election campaigns, while simultaneously delivering a blistering critique of the federal government’s lack of transparency regarding the country’s legal frameworks.
Speaking on Thursday during an Iftar program at the Government House Banquet Hall in Ibadan, the Governor broke the “political silence” usually expected mid-term, granting his team the “grace” to immediately begin public mobilisation, including the mounting of billboards and banners across Oyo State.
The Call to Action: Party Over Personality
In a notable shift from traditional “godfatherism,” Makinde emphasised that his blessing for early campaigning comes with a condition: loyalty must be pledged to the people of Oyo State and its development, rather than to him personally.
“They don’t have to be loyal to Seyi Makinde, but to the people of Oyo State,” the Governor stated. However, he was firm on partisan identity, directing all aspirants to prominently display the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) logo on their materials to reaffirm the party’s dominance, declaring, “We are going nowhere.”
Interestingly, despite the “go-ahead” to begin active politics, the Governor did not direct his appointees to resign from their current government roles.
Concerns Over “Ghost” Legislation
The highlight of the Governor’s address was a sharp warning about the “uncertainty and confusion” surrounding the Electoral Act and new Tax Laws reportedly signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Makinde alleged that the official versions of these critical documents remain invisible to those who need them most.
Key concerns raised by the Governor include:
Conflicting Versions: Makinde alleged that multiple versions of the Electoral Act are currently in circulation, causing significant legal fog.
Lack of Access: “As the Governor of Oyo State, I have not seen it and I have not laid my hand on it,” he revealed, questioning how the 2027 cycle can be planned without a “reference book.”
Tax Law Ambiguity: He extended this concern to the nation’s new tax legislation, noting that reports of dual versions have emerged without a single, officially available copy.
A Plea for Transparency
Governor Makinde called on federal authorities to “come clean” and release the authentic, presidentially-assented versions of these laws to the public. He stressed that transparency is the only way to ensure all political actors are playing by the same rules as the 2027 momentum builds.
“They should let us know which rule book we are playing with in 2027,” Makinde concluded, framing the lack of an official document as a threat to the legal framework of the next general election.
