SEYI MAKINDE: A Tyrant Masquerading As A Democrat

By Olabode Opeseitan

Who is a democrat? Not the one who chants slogans or wears party colors, but the one who submits to the rule of law, respects vibrant opposition, defends free and fair elections, and protects press freedom. These are not ornaments, they are the building blocks of any real democracy.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has recently enriched the national conversation about the survival of democracy in Nigeria. In a media chat, he declared himself among those “who want democracy to survive in Nigeria. We don’t want to drift into a one-party state.” He added that his freedom to express political preferences is precisely why he will not support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, stating that he is “worried about the survival of democracy.”

It’s a bold claim.
But it also invites a deeper question: what does Makinde’s own record say about his commitment to democratic ideals?

After President Tinubu assumed office, he led a constitutional charge to restore local government autonomy, a move aimed at reviving governance at the grassroots.

From consultations to public advocacy, the campaign was rooted in one simple truth: democracy must begin where the people live.

Who wouldn’t want empowered local councils? Who would oppose better roads, cleaner markets, functioning clinics, and responsive governance closest to the people?

You would be surprised.

State governors, long accustomed to diverting local government funds through joint accounts, mounted fierce resistance. Diplomacy failed. Dialogue collapsed.

The Tinubu administration turned to the Supreme Court, and won. The judgment was clear: local governments must be autonomous. Unelected caretaker committees are illegal. Funds must flow directly.

But over a year later, Seyi Makinde, like many of his colleagues, has refused to comply. He dismissed the ruling as a “distraction,” insisting that productivity, not structure, is Nigeria’s real problem. At public forums, he sermonized on why local governments must remain fiscally tethered to the states. His words say freedom; his actions say shackle.

This is where the mask slips.

You cannot defy the Supreme Court and claim to defend democracy. You cannot suppress grassroots governance and pretend to speak for the people. You cannot be a tyrant five seconds ago and a democrat the next moment and expect the people to applaud your brazen somersault.

In infrastructure renewal, Makinde has been remarkable. But in democratic cadence, his temperament is not just inconsistent, it’s dangerous. It signals to other leaders that constitutional defiance is permissible if wrapped in subterfuge. But democracy is not showboating, it’s a discipline.

Why does local government autonomy matter?
• It delivers services directly to the people.
• It fosters accountability and citizen participation.
• It strengthens fiscal federalism and reduces overcentralization.
• It ensures inclusive development, especially in rural areas.

Makinde’s refusal to implement the Supreme Court judgment is a betrayal of these principles. And yet, he now positions himself as a staunch guardian of democratic values. The irony is deafening.

On the surface, Seyi Makinde appears to be fighting a noble cause. Anyone who stands against Nigeria’s drift into a one-party state is, in principle, defending democracy, so long as the dominant party is not coercing others into submission.

The democrat in Makinde who rallied against the decapitation of the PDP and resisted the erosion of multiparty competition deserves recognition. But that same democrat must also obey court judgments, tolerate dissent, allow vibrant opposition in the legislature, and eschew all forms of authoritarianism. Anything less is the posture of a capricious democrat, one who invokes democracy only when it suits him.

Without any equivocation, Makinde’s concern that Nyesom Wike, his former G5 ally, had promised to “hold the PDP for Tinubu” ahead of 2027 is troubling. By speaking out, Makinde acted within his rights. Democracy thrives on vibrant opposition, and any attempt to cannibalize dissenting voices should be condemned. Yet in the same breath, Makinde exonerated President Tinubu of any wrongdoing, stating during the interview, “The President did not ask him (Wike), ‘Do this for me.’”

The President must stay the course, distance himself from any perception of orchestrated opposition capture, and continue to focus on what truly matters: delivering good governance, lowering the cost of living, and consolidating the APC’s growth through performance and superior strategy, not political conquest.

While I believe that every Nigerian politician must strive harder to deepen democratic practice in the country, including President Tinubu, I firmly believe that Seyi Makinde, through his actions and utterances, poses a serious threat to democratic sustenance in Nigeria.

This is not just about Oyo State. It’s a message to every Nigerian leader: democracy is not a convenience. It is a covenant. You cannot cherry-pick which laws to obey. You cannot preach reform and practice repression.

The real power belongs to the people. And in a democracy, that power must be respected, not manipulated.

Makinde may speak the language of democracy, but his actions lean towards tyranny. And in the end, it is actions, not slogans, that shape legacies.

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