The surprising reconciliation efforts of notable opposition figures in Oyo State, starting from Senator Teslim Folarin’s talk of the town visit to President Tinubu and the subsequent but stunning chit-chat with Oloye Bayo Adelabu, the Minister of Power, are already sending shivers down the spines of Governor Seyi Makinde.
Perhaps, no other moment best captured this vivid reality than the statement credited to Mr. Makinde during his 2026 budget presentation at the state house of assembly earlier this week.
The Governor, in a moment that suggested uneasiness, threw caution to the wind by proclaiming ‘were la fin wo were’ should the opposition try to act funny or subvert the will of the people in an election that will either help cement his legacy or send him back to his village in Ajia. Instantly, the clip became an internet sensation.
Of course, moment like that presents a golden opportunity for his lackeys and bootlickers to show ‘workings’. In that way, they weaponized the clip by pointing to the rarely seen side of the governor, whose personality has been introversion, quietness, and strategic politicking. “This Governor can equally spit fire like Sango, the god of thunder, if the occasion demands, they all seem to echo.
They consider the ‘madness to cure madness’ statement as a direct missile to the opposition camp, who have, until recently, intensified efforts to close ranks, unite under their party, and approach the next gubernatorial election with a clear plan, unity of purpose, and a winning mentality. Contrarily, the governor’s adversaries saw the jibe as a sign that the message of a united opposition is getting under his skin in a way that is both instructive, telling, and apparent.
By throwing caution to the wind, the governor has signaled he’s ready to wrestle with politicians from the other side to sustain and consolidate on his legacy – he is declaring ‘war’ where there is none. This columnist believes that Mr. Makinde’s statement is both reckless, inappropriate and belittling.
Sure, it is public knowledge that the Governor indeed stole that catchphrase from one of his allies, the Fuji star, Taye Currency, whose controversial performance at the Olubadan’s coronation stirred a hornet’s nest and sparked debate over the inappropriateness of ‘were la fin wo were’ lyrics in an event that had dignitaries like the President of the country in attendance.
Still, that vulgar catchphrase only belonged among the touts, hooligans and ruffians. Look from another angle, that catchphrase, for all its inappropriateness, was also the Governor’s way of telling the public and particularly the opposition figures that he will not mind getting dirty if he has to wrestle with political ‘pigs’ for his political survival.
For a supposedly ‘peace-loving’ governor to have uttered that vulgar phrase at such an important event was simply unacceptable. Methinks Mr. Makinde need not to blow hot regardless of the situation. Anyone who knows Mr. Makinde’s spectacular success at the polls knows the division that permeated the APC both in 2019 and 2023 played a very consequential role.
No one can deny the fact that the disunity and division that infested the APC in those two contests paved the way for the victory of both the PDP and Mr. Makinde at the poll, all while losing miserably in the National Assembly contests. In effect, many are now suggesting that the same template that helped GSM in those two elections may now be used to unseat him as the next governorship election gather unprecedented momentum.
This columnist wagers that a few but crucial factors will shape the 2027 race. One is the strength of the ruling People’s Democratic Party. Under Governor Makinde, the PDP’s unity has been seesaw like, kind of a pendulum, swinging up and down, right, left, and center. In the 2019 elections, for instance, the party, sensing its weak statewide structure, had to team up with other opposition parties such as ADC, SDP, Accord Party, and ZLP to defeat the incumbent APC. Interestingly, months after that election, the coalition that powered that political quake began to suffer setbacks.
Prominent figures, realizing the assumption of a ‘pushover’ governor was a grave mistake, publicly denounced the governor and pulled out their supporters from the arrangement. That, in fact, made those the government had heavily relied on for moral support to jump ship without saying ‘goodbye’. That moment, for the government that was struggling for credibility and uncertain of the future was marked by extreme darkness.
One upside of the collapse of the coalition was the way it transformed GSM from a mere political rookie to one termed the ‘Agodi Emperor’. As the governor effectively settled in his role, he started to fire salvoes at his perceived foes. First, he claimed only ‘God the Father’ and not the ‘Godfather’ put him on the seat. For political observers, that was a crushing punch in the stomach of the coalition that thought the command and control of the government would be handed over to them on a silver platter.
As the governor’s authority grows in leaps and bounds, those who underestimated his political acumen began to rethink their position: this man is never going to be a pushover. But with that also comes the downside. By fighting almost everyone, the governor’s camp became populated by known praise singers.
While the governor’s scorecard in urban renewal hit a record high, his mark in rural and grassroots development hit an all-time low. Those who advised him never allowed him to see the gap in his project interventions. In rural areas where years of neglect have dragged them back in all developmental metrics, Mr. Makinde is considered an unreliable leader.
Another factor that will shape the next election will be the strength of the opposition. Although this is not so much of an issue because it is far easier to rally aggrieved politicians against a common enemy. In this case, Governor Makinde will have to contend with politicians who are determined to pound on his flesh, starting especially from members of his own party.
Apart from the coalition that tirelessly worked for the electoral success of the governor in 2019, the rise of the Unity Forum, a powerful section in the APC, was equally pivotal in decimating the ranks and files of the APC. The same pattern that played out when Mr. Makinde was the face of the opposition in 2019 may equally played out in the 2027 election, unless the PDP played its game smartly, expertly and intelligently. Unlike late Senator Abiola Ajimobi and late Adebayo Alao-Akala, who were extroverts and gregarious, Governor Makinde’s gentle mien, apparently, is what attracted him to the people. Changing that effective perception will be a big miscalculation. Time to blow hot is still far. The Governor can keep his salvo to himself for the electioneering time.
OYO101 is Muftau Gbadegesin’s opinion about issues affecting the Oyo state and is published every Saturday. He can be reached via @Upliftnuggets on X, muftaugbadegesin@gmail.com, and 09065176850.
