Udom Emmanuel, the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, has called off rumors that Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde is considering running for president in 2027, claiming that the PDP governor has never brought up the subject with him.
Speaking to reporters at a gathering in Abuja, Emmanuel suggested that attempts to associate Makinde with the presidency in 2027 might have political motivations.
He declared, “Governor Makinde is a friend of mine, a former coworker, and one of the powerful PDP leaders that I am a part of. On my honor, I can state that Seyi has never disclosed his presidential candidacy to me. Given our close relationship, I can only assume that he is using this slant as a form of blackmail, either to keep him from continuing to support our party’s reconstruction efforts or to plant seeds of rivalry between him and the president.
“My friend Seyi has not reached me or anyone I know of, on that matter,” he asserted, despite the fact that consultative efforts are typically undertaken by those with political ambition.
“Makinde has remained committed to the survival of the Peoples Democratic Party,” the former governor emphasized.
“What I am certain of,” Emmanuel stated, “is that Seyi is a true party man who, like many of us in the PDP, is fully dedicated to the revival of the party that provided us with a platform for political recognition and service to our people.”
“We cannot simply leave the party; doing so is immoral. Our democratic multi-party system needs to be supported in order to remain stable. In countries like Nigeria where democracy is practiced, there will always be a ruling party and opposition parties. We must instill the culture of political tolerance that bolsters democracy in those countries.
Emmanuel clarified his comparatively quiet behavior since ceding power in 2023, saying it was intentional.
At the end of my administration, I made a commitment to step down from the stage for my successor and return to my private life and commitments, and I have done just that,” he continued.
The fact that I have gone back to my private life does not imply that I have departed or retired from politics. I still have a lot of leaders at different levels with whom I can communicate and exchange ideas, particularly governors who want my input on a variety of public governance issues.
In my opinion, the Holy Bible states that everything has its proper time. So, everything has its time, including politics and business, and I do my best to follow that rule.
