Makinde lied that I’m holding PDP for Tinubu – Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has denied allegations by Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State that he promised to “hold” the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for President Bola Tinubu.

Wike made the rebuttal during his end-of-year media chat in Port Harcourt on Monday.

Our correspondent recalls that Makinde had recently told journalists that Wike, during a visit to the State House in 2024, promised President Tinubu that he would “hold PDP” for him.

Reacting, Wike said the meeting had nothing to do with the PDP but was meant to show support for Tinubu’s leadership and assure him of continued support.

According to him, his support for Tinubu had never been hidden and did not require any special meeting to affirm.

“Sheyi said I told Tinubu that I would hold PDP for him. Nothing like that happened.

“Everyone knows my position on Tinubu. I don’t need a meeting to tell him that,” Wike said.

He added that as a minister, he has a responsibility to ensure that members of the G-5 group benefitted from the Tinubu administration in one way or another.

Wike also alleged that Makinde was displeased because Tinubu did not approve his nominee for a ministerial appointment.

He further claimed that he had not received the level of support Makinde allegedly got from Tinubu, including the reported N50 billion grant for victims of the Bodija explosion in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

However, Makinde’s Special Adviser on Media, Dr Suleimon Olanrewaju, said only N30 billion was released, explaining that part of the funds was paid directly to victims as immediate support, while the balance was used for rebuilding and restoration.

Nonetheless, Wike maintained that the Oyo governor owed Oyo people a duty to account for how the funds were spent, adding that such expenditure should have been properly appropriated before disbursement.