The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has clarified his relationship with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, saying the latter is not his friend but merely a political associate.
Wike made the remark while speaking as a guest on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme monitored by Daily Post on Monday.
The former Rivers State governor, who led the G5 group of PDP governors that opposed Atiku Abubakar’s presidential bid in the 2023 general elections, dismissed claims that he had fallen out with Makinde over personal political ambitions.
According to Wike, there is a clear distinction between friendship and political partnership, stressing that political alliances do not necessarily translate to personal relationships.
“It’s not about being a PhD holder. It’s not about being an engineer or being a lawyer. That’s not it. If you want to be a presidential candidate of your party, would you allow the party to be in crisis?” he asked.
“Seyi Makinde is not my friend; we are political associates, and there is no law that says political associates must remain together,” Wike said.
The statement has stirred fresh discussions about the current relationship between members of the G5, a coalition that once united under Wike’s leadership to demand fairness and power rotation within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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