The Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde has dismissed claims by the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) that he is attempting to play a spoiler’s game in the 2027 presidential race, describing the allegation as misplaced and misguided.
He said the claim reveals more about SSACO’s panic than about the governor’s ambition.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Makinde said SSACO’s outburst fits into a familiar pattern of unfounded commentary aimed at distorting serious national conversations.
According to Olanrewaju, SSACO’s fixation on Makinde has become a predictable reflex, detached from facts and driven by insecurity.
“Governor Makinde, the presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), is in the race to reset Nigeria and help build a country that works for all citizens. His candidacy is anchored in a clear national vision and a commitment to responsible leadership,” the statement said.
Olanrewaju faulted SSACO’s claim that Makinde stands no chance against the incumbent president, questioning why the group remains obsessively fixated on him if he is not a threat.
“If a candidate supposedly has ‘no chance,’ why does SSACO attack him at every turn? Its relentless fixation confirms two things: Governor Makinde’s strength and SSACO’s dread of that strength,” he said.
The statement also accused SSACO of being apprehensive over Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi, the APM gubernatorial candidate in Oyo State, saying its constant jabs at him do not reflect confidence but fear.
Olanrewaju said Governor Makinde’s engagement at the national level is grounded in issues, not political rhetoric, and reflects a desire for stability, competence and clarity.
He added that while SSACO exhausts itself manufacturing distractions, Makinde’s momentum remains untouched.
“The groundswell of support he continues to attract across the country speaks to a candidacy rooted in substance, not noise. Its frantic commentary cannot slow him, its contrived alarms cannot shake him, and its theatrics cannot obscure the fact that his message is gaining clarity on a daily basis,” the statement added.
