The Governor of Oyo state, Seyi Makinde has ruled out joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections.
Makinde made this known on Wednesday in Abuja while speaking with journalists after the launching of a book titled; “Headlines & Soundbites: Media Moments That Defined an Administration” authored by the former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Muhammed.
He stated: “I’m not an APC (member), and I’m not about to fall into APC either. So we are here as Nigerians from across the divide. I believe we need an elite consensus just for the improvement of our political situation. We need an elite consensus on how to move forward.”
The governor said there was a need for elite consensus to move the nation forward
He added: “My experience is that Nigerians — ordinary Nigerians, they already have a consensus that they want to be Nigerians.
“But the elite — we the elite, we’re the ones dividing the country….it’s Muslim, it’s Christian, or it’s Yoruba, or it’s… So I came here to say, well, this book, because I know the author, is a Nigerian that will attract all sorts of people across the divide. And that’s why I’m here.
“I’m not an APC (member), and I’m not about to fall into APC either. So we are here as Nigerians from across the divide. I believe we need an elite consensus just for the improvement of our political situation. We need an elite consensus on how to move forward.
“But I’ll leave you with just one thing to wonder (about). It says here that Nigeria was negotiated, Nigeria is independent, but negotiated under a certain constitution. Multi-party democracy was asserted in that legislation.”
Earlier, the author said he decided to unveil the book on Wednesday to mark the first posthumous birthday of the former President, late Muhammadu Buhari.
According to him, I decided to shift the date for the launch of this book from December 6, which is my birthday, to December 17, his birthday. I took that decision when I resumed writing the book after recovering from the shock of his sudden departure from us on July 13, 2025. I began writing the book in June 2025 and never imagined, even for a moment, that President Buhari would not be with us today. But here we are.
Mohammed noted that following the change in the launch date, he also decided to dedicate an entire chapter — first chapter, to paying him a well-deserved tribute.
He stated: “My new book, Headlines & Soundbites: Media Moments That Defined an Administration, is my personal effort, as the longest-serving Minister of Information and Culture in Nigeria’s history, to document my work across all sectors under the ministry’s broad mandate: Information, Culture, Tourism and National Orientation.
“It is set within the wider context of how these efforts supported and shaped the policies of the Buhari Administration and how they were communicated to the Nigerian public.
“For almost eight years, I was at the centre of government communication, crisis management, national orientation, culture and tourism.
“I saw firsthand how decisions were made, how narratives were shaped and how misinformation often overshadowed facts. This book, therefore, is about correcting misconceptions, providing context and sharing firsthand accounts – accounts that history must not forget.
“I have always believed that Africans must tell their own stories to avoid distortion. As the saying goes, if you do not tell your story, someone else will, and they will tell it to suit their purpose.
“My uncommon access to government decision-making over a long stretch of time places a responsibility on me to preserve an accurate record, correct long-standing misconceptions and provide clarity where necessary.”
Mohammed said he hoped that his book would serve as a resource for researchers, media professionals and students of politics, communications and public relations, among others.