Makinde’s presidential bid: Fayose’s vitriol and the panic of political mercenaries

By Dare Adeleke

Not many Nigerians were surprised when Governor Seyi Makinde declared his intention to run for the presidency of Nigeria.

For years, supporters, political associates, and well-wishers across the country had urged him to take the next step in public service. Their argument was simple – Makinde has earned a reputation as one of the most democratic governors in Nigeria and one of the few political leaders willing to challenge the growing culture of political intimidation, institutional capture, and the distortion of democratic norms.

Indeed, Makinde’s declaration was more than the announcement of a presidential ambition. It was a clear political statement to Abuja that the era of unquestioned dominance and political bullying is being challenged. It signalled that there are still leaders willing to stand up and offer Nigerians an alternative vision of governance.

These are the kind of men Nigeria desperately needs at this critical point in its history – not political merchants who grovel at the altar of power, nor opportunists who trade their principles for personal gain. The country has suffered enough from men who willingly surrender their conscience for a seat at the table of privilege. Such individuals who have transformed themselves from public servants into willing accomplices in the oppression of the very people they are expected to serve.

Among the most irresponsible critics of such figures is the perpetually agitated former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose.

Fayose’s relentless attacks and vitriol against Makinde reveal far more than political disagreement. They betray a deep anxiety about Makinde’s growing national appeal and the possibility that his candidacy could expose certain political actors for what many Nigerians increasingly perceive them to be – defenders of a broken status quo who place personal survival above national progress, like the prodigal son of Ekiti, Fayose, who has sold his soul for a bowl of porridge.

A casual observer could easily conclude that Makinde is the only governor in the South-West, given the obsessive frequency with which Fayose attacks him. Hardly a month passes without the former governor launching into another round of insults, false accusations, and political theatrics directed at the Oyo State governor.

Is Makinde responsible for Fayose’s dwindling political relevance in Ekiti? Is Makinde responsible for the fact that many who once supported Fayose now avoid him? Is Makinde responsible for the erosion of his influence within the political space?

The reality is that Makinde’s rise has become a reminder of what leadership can look like when it is anchored on discipline, accountability, and performance rather than endless controversy and political drama.

Fayose’s fixation on Makinde is therefore not accidental. It is political and it is entirely predictable.

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The latest outbursts against the Oyo governor appear to fit neatly into a broader effort by those in power to weaken and discredit credible opposition voices before they gain further momentum. Makinde represents a unique challenge because he has built a reputation that cannot easily be dismissed through propaganda.

Many Nigerians see in him qualities they believe are increasingly scarce in public life: integrity, transparency, competence, and a commitment to democratic values. Whether one agrees with him politically or not, there is little doubt that he has emerged as one of the most influential opposition figures in the country.

That reality makes Makinde a target of people like Ayo Fayose.

Those who benefit from the current political arrangement understand that Makinde’s growing acceptance across regional, religious, and political divides presents a serious challenge to their calculations. They recognise that Nigerians are paying attention. They see citizens comparing records, comparing styles of governance, and asking difficult questions.

Yet the more they attack Makinde, the more they inadvertently elevate him.

Political history teaches that sustained attacks are often reserved for those perceived as genuine threats. Nobody wastes ammunition on an irrelevant target but the errand boy Fayose is so desperate to please his master that he cannot recognise this fact.

Ayo Fayose should by now understand that his endless tirades are unlikely to diminish Makinde’s standing. If anything, they reinforce the perception that the Oyo governor has become a political force whose influence extends well beyond the borders of his state.

Nigeria faces enormous challenges – economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, declining public trust in institutions, and a growing sense of national frustration. These are the issues that deserve serious discussion, not the endless bitterness and personal vendettas that have become the trademark of the scum of Ekiti.

As the race toward 2027 gathers momentum, Nigerians will ultimately decide who offers the most credible vision for the future. What is increasingly clear, however, is that Governor Seyi Makinde’s entry into the contest has unsettled many who had assumed the political landscape was theirs to control.

And that, perhaps, explains the panic.

Dare Adeleke writes from Ibadan.