The Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, has thrown his weight behind the presidential ambition of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, declaring that the governor possesses the leadership qualities needed to lead Nigeria.
Reacting to Governor Makinde’s ambition to contest for the presidency in 2027, Oyelade posed the question: “If not him, who and if not now, when?”
The commissioner in a statement personally signed by him stated that Governor Makinde has demonstrated exceptional leadership capacity in Oyo State over the past seven years through impactful governance policies and people-oriented programmes.
According to him, several of the governor’s policies have become reference points for both the Federal Government and some state governments across the country.
He cited Makinde’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, describing it as effective and proactive, while also highlighting the governor’s swift response to workers’ welfare and financial challenges in the state.
Oyelade further noted that the administration’s internally generated revenue (IGR) expansion strategy has significantly improved the state’s economy, increasing the IGR from ₦26.5 billion in 2019 to ₦103 billion in 2026 without imposing additional taxes on businesses and investors.
He also praised the governor’s fiscal management and infrastructural drive, saying many observers remain amazed at how the administration simultaneously finances multiple infrastructure projects across the state.
The commissioner maintained that Governor Makinde is strategically positioned to challenge President Bola Tinubu and wrest power from the ruling party in the next general election.
According to him, Nigerians are no longer intimidated by what he described as attempts to coerce governors and members of the National Assembly into joining the ruling party.
“Power belongs to the people, and with the growing support of like minds across the country, victory is assured,” Oyelade stated.
