Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has publicly outlined his version of what transpired during the closed-door meeting between Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, January 22, 2026.
The comments were made in a statement and on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Fayose claimed that Governor Makinde did not meet the President alone but was accompanied by Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, whom he said was enlisted for support. “Governor Seyi Makinde demonstrated that he now lacked enough courage to face the President alone,” Fayose said in his statement.
According to Fayose, President Tinubu told Makinde he was willing to listen only on official matters relating to the administration of Oyo State, but not on political questions.
The former governor alleged that Tinubu drew a firm distinction between governance issues and political debates, particularly in relation to Makinde’s previous public comments. “The President told him that if it was about official matters regarding Oyo State, he will listen to him,” Fayose said.
Fayose also alleged that President Tinubu cautioned Makinde against contradicting himself privately and publicly on political positions, especially complaints Makinde had made about the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.
“He was told pointedly that he can’t come to the closet on political matters to eat his words while saying another thing to the public,” the statement added.
On the 2027 general election, Fayose claimed that Tinubu informed Makinde he was not counting on his political support and indicated that the President would rather support members of his own party.
He also asserted that Tinubu reaffirmed his relationship with Minister Wike, describing their political alliance as strong.
Fayose’s account included a pointed question about funds linked to Oyo State following the January 2023 Ibadan explosion, asking whether Makinde had returned an alleged N30 billion Federal Government intervention fund.
The former governor suggested that the governor should account for the handling of the money.
The statement by Fayose represents a politically charged interpretation of the meeting, which Governor Makinde and the Presidency have described as focused on governance issues rather than partisan politics.
Independent reporting indicates that Makinde dismissed speculation about defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following his visit and emphasised his commitment to the party, while attributing the engagement to state development interests.
The contrasting narratives underscore ongoing tensions and political realignments as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general election, with key actors offering diverging accounts of high-level engagements.
