Oyo Governor Makinde: Tinubu's Electricity Pledge Blocks Second Term

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, who also serves as the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate, has openly challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's ambition for a second term in office. Governor Makinde's remarks, delivered on Monday at the Boye Nation/JAF Movement Mega Concert in Ibadan, hinged on President Tinubu's previous declaration concerning the nation's power supply.

The governor's comments came amidst backlash over the Oyo State government's use of diesel-powered generators to light up specific streetlights across the state. Makinde redirected the focus, suggesting critics should instead highlight the broader, systemic electricity issues plaguing the entire country, rather than localized solutions.

He recalled President Tinubu's 2023 presidential campaign promise, where Tinubu reportedly assured Nigerians of constant electricity. According to Makinde, President Tinubu had then explicitly stated that if he failed to deliver on this promise within his initial four-year tenure, Nigerians should not cast their votes for him for a second term.

"President Tinubu deserves no second term because he once said that if electricity is not fixed, Nigerians should not vote for him," Makinde asserted during his address.

Makinde's statements followed criticism from Senator Sharafadeen Alli, the Oyo State APC governorship candidate, regarding the state's reliance on diesel generators for public lighting. The governor maintained that if the national grid provided a dependable electricity supply, state administrations would not need to allocate public funds towards diesel to power essential public services like streetlights.

These recent remarks by Governor Makinde are expected to intensify the ongoing political discourse surrounding President Tinubu's performance, particularly in the critical power sector, as the nation moves towards the 2027 presidential elections. However, the Presidency has previously refuted interpretations suggesting that President Tinubu made an unconditional pledge to forego a second term if electricity issues remained unresolved.