The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-West has accused Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of insulting 32 state governors and millions of Nigerians over his reported description of the APC’s 2027 presidential campaign coalition as a “Nebuchadnezzar Coalition” and an “alliance of failed governors”.
The party said the remarks, attributed to Makinde’s presidential campaign organisation, were disrespectful to governors who had declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, regardless of their political affiliations.
In a statement issued in Ibadan on Thursday, the APC South-West Zonal Publicity Secretary, Ayo Afolabi, said the governors supporting Tinubu belonged to different parties, including the APC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Accord.
He listed the South-West governors backing Tinubu as Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo and Ademola Adeleke of Osun.
Afolabi argued that describing the governors as failures amounted to insulting the millions of Nigerians who elected them, warning that voters would remember the remarks during the 2027 general election.
The party also questioned Makinde’s position on political coalitions, recalling his role among the G5 governors who opposed the PDP’s presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 general election.
It asked whether Makinde had regarded his former allies as political predators at the time, accusing him of changing his position to suit his current political interests.
The APC further alleged that Makinde had lost control of the PDP and claimed that his proposed alliance with the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) had faced opposition from some party figures.
It also cited a reported description of the initiative as “dead on arrival” by former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, arguing that Makinde was struggling to build a coalition while his own political base remained divided.
On governance, the APC acknowledged the economic challenges facing Nigerians but defended the Tinubu administration’s reforms, arguing that the policies were laying the foundation for long-term economic recovery.
The party also challenged Makinde to account for the state of basic education in Oyo State, insisting that responsibility for primary and secondary education should not be placed entirely on the Federal Government.
Afolabi maintained that Tinubu had secured the support of 32 governors and expressed confidence that the APC would win the South-West in the 2027 presidential election.
“The South-West will not be divided by insults. We will deliver the zone to President Tinubu in 2027,” he said.
