Makinde: Wike had just left law school when I made my first $1m

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has taken a swipe at Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, saying the Minister had just left Law School when he made $1 million.

Makinde, a key member of Wike’s G-5 which played a key role in shaping the 2023 Presidential election, fell out with Wike amid the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

During a media chat in Ibadan, monitored by Daily Trust, Makinde said at 29, he secured a contract worth $1 million from oil giant, Mobile.

“Within one year, I made $1 million in my pocket. I was 29 in 1997. Wike, perhaps at that time, had just left law school, and his next job was as a local government chairman,” he said.

The governor said the deal shaped his rise in both business and politics.

On the rift with the Minister, Makinde said, “The real issue is that I was in a meeting with the President and Wike (I am saying this in an open chat). The President’s Chief of Staff and a few others were also in that meeting. And Wike said to the President, ‘Sir, I will hold PDP for you against 2027.’ I was in shock. So when we got to the veranda, I said to him, ‘Wike, did we agree on this?’ I don’t like talking about people… I don’t talk about people, but I will talk about events. The real issue is that Wike will like to support the President in 2027.

“Wike is within his rights to support Tinubu, but those of us who want to ensure the survival of multiparty democracy and the PDP should also be allowed to make our own decisions… we don’t want Nigeria to drift into a one- party state and we want to ensure that PDP survives.” he said.

Makinde also disclosed that he declined a request by the President to help coordinate the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo.

He said the issue came up after earlier engagements with Tinubu on the nomination of a Minister from Oyo State following the formation of the federal cabinet.

According to him, the president turned to him with a direct appeal.

“He said ‘Seyi, it’s you that I want to help me organise APC in Oyo State,” Makinde revealed.

Makinde said he flatly rejected the request, insisting that he could not act against his party.

“I told him ‘no sir, I cannot help you organise APC in Oyo State because I am of the PDP’,” he said.