SOJ WORLDWIDE ONLINE NEWS had an exclusive interview with Hon. Rotimi Makinde, who was the former Federal House of Representatives member representing Ife Federal Constituency of Osun State.
In this interview, Makinde speaks with the Publisher of SOJ WORLDWIDE, Adesoji Omosebi, on issues ranging from his personal life, Osun Politics, SWAGA, 2026 governorship candidate for APC and his political future.
READ FULL INTERVIEW:
SOJ WORLDWIDE: Hon. Makinde, you have kept silent after your party APC lost the gubernatorial election to Governor Ademola Adeleke of the PDP. What is the reason for your silence?
MAKINDE: Politicians often have multiple issues to address; they might choose to remain silent on certain topics to focus on more pressing matters.
Politicians might remain silent to avoid sparking controversy or reigniting debates that could harm their reputation or relationships.
SOJ WORLDWIDE: What have you been doing in the last 30 months?
MAKINDE: I have been deeply involved moving from pillar to pillars to take stock of my political journey so far, making some reviews with serious determination to rejuvenate my next move.
SOJ WORLDWIDE: I remember you wrote many Press Statements advising your party leaders before the 2022 governorship election not to play into hands of the opponents, what do you have to say after your party lost the election?
MAKINDE: I am glad you remembered all my spirited efforts as an apostle of peace, that cost me a lot, clashes me with some people and I was almost branded as a prophet of doom.
I warned about the consequences of we approaching the 2022 election as a divided house.
My plea was rejected, grievances were ignored, the result was the unnecessary calamity of 2022.
If you are one of the major players of the struggle before the eventual victory of 26th November 2010, you will be in pain and sad that we handle power with levity. I am still in pain!.
READ ALSO: Should the imminent gang up Against Asiwaju Tinubu triumph? by Rotimi Makinde
SOJ WORLDWIDE: Do you believe if they had taken to your advice, would your party have won?
MAKINDE: Of course, yes, we have no reason to have lost that election.Alhaji Oyetola did well in government.
We built hope on some corrupt people who were not as rated, too many corrupt handlers, and over bloated ego of some people who were acting like demigod around Mr. Governor.
Well, I want to believe, we must have learnt our lesson. Its on record that I delivered my Ward as against their presumption they peddled against me.
A Ward that has some of the biggest PDP bigwigs. Today, each of us have our records in the eyes of our leaders.
Governor Oyetola deserved to win that election, honesty, although we were in that election more like an opposition party because the Federal Government was like very hostile to us, the security agents looked the other side in some locations cooperate with our enemies especially in Ede where vote continued till late hours. Unfortunately, our governor is such a complete gentle man.
SOJ WORLDWIDE: WHAT do you have to say about some of the members of your party clamoring for Osun West in the 2026 governorship election in Osun.
MAKINDE: Well, we are in democracy, not just West that is clamouring, my people too are also clamouring, we would love to produce the next governor.
This noise, to me, is becoming too pronounced under this government of PDP and most especially because of their nepotism and discrimination at which governance is being handled at this moment.
No one would visit the home town of Governor Adeleke and would not want such radical transformation in his or her own town.
I am not an apostle of zoning but a politician choose the best at any given time. Not a bad idea if our next governor come from West anyway.
There are so many fantastic good qualified personalities in Osun West. There we have Oyebamiji, Peter Babalola, Benedict Adegboyega, Dotun Babayemi, Adejare Bello,Ogunbiyi and others.
SOJ WORLDWIDE: Do you support their agitation?
MAKINDE: To agitate is their right, no malice, every zone has the right, I am not an apostle of zoning but an advocate of good person to rule .
SOJ WORLDWIDE: Does your party have what it takes to defeat Governor Ademola Adeleke?
MAKINDE: If Governor Adeleke were to be a realist, he should be writing his hand over note by now, all we need is to get it right in whom we choose as a candidate. With that done, PDP is gone.
SOJ WORLDWIDE: What is your present relationship with the two former governors of APC, Rauf Aregbesola and Gboyega Oyetola?
MAKINDE: Very cordial, many may not know and of course I hate to boast with it. Governor Adegboyega Oyetola is my in-law while Alhaji Aregbesola commissioned me into politics.
Its difficult for me to balance the love but I am not comfortable with the way things turn out between the two former governors. I am honestly feeling bad.
My mere picture with Ogbeni is being mischievously circulated by those who have corrupted mind against my person and against peace.
Many are even describing my mere greeting Ogbeni as reason why I am being unrewarded or underutilized by the party. I am who I am, I am for APC and I have never been involved in any clandestine meeting against Alhaji Oyetola or my party APC.
The fact remains that I am not happy with the turns of events as related to the issue of imbroglio. I stopped to dwell on it, more so he is no longer of APC and Alhaji Iyetola is the leader of my party. No controversy.
SOJ WORLDWIDE: I think we have up to three or four aspirants of APC for the 2026 gubernatorial election, namely; APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Bashiru (SRJ), former Deputy Governor, Benedict Gboyega Alabi (BOA) and Bola Oyebamiji?
MAKINDE: Surprise is the best way to win a war, all those you mentioned are good to go. My people in Ile ife would not want me to speak negative statement about any gladiators from ile Ife. At appropriate time and when the coast becomes clear, I would align with the party choice as a party man.
I would like to see positive changes and success recorded under the leadership of Sooko Tajudeen Lawal the Chairman of Osun State APC, I would like to play complimentary role to support his efforts in rebuilding this party.
He is doing his best to change the narrative.
SOJ WORLDWIDE: Or are you throwing your hat in the ring?
MAKINDE: I have come to understand that one cannot struggle for any elective position under progressive party, be it governorship, House of Representatives or even State Assembly.
Your profile and pedigree is to speak for you, you may just have to express your intention and leave the rest to the leaders. If they so want me in any capacity, I believe I am qualified.
SOJ WORLDWIDE: What advice do you have for your party to win the 2026 governorship election?
MAKINDE: The need to remain united and to avoid the repeat of the mistake of yesterday’s cannot be over emphasized. We were better in governance than this government of Adeleke who is promoting nepotism.
We must also learn to forgive and embrace each other and to stop about grudges, vindictiveness and to encourage all to come on board to confront our main opposition.
I would like to see us cultivating more respect to party leadership. I am not very comfortable with this manner of how gladiators are going about it, they should censor their activities not to divide us further, the idea of thinking that one set of people alone can win election for the party is bad and above all, we have to review the reward system.
It is so bad and it’s creating discord. Take for instance, and I keep asking myself, what is it that we’ve done wrong in Ile-Ife to explain this untoward attitude towards us in Ile-Ife and its environment and what would we say or use to convince our voters in Ile Ife when indeed I am a perfect reflection of and an example of someone who has not been uplifted by this government who controlled the Federal Government.
I know for sure, my people are presently feeling bad not just for me as an individual but generally. I do not know of any credentials be it a First Class Engineer, Accountant or Professor that we can’t get in Ife land and it’s environs.
People are no longer hiding their reservation for our party any longer.
Well I can’t but some of us have resolved to remain in progressive. Hope is not departing us.
READ ALSO: WHERE Is King Sunny Ade? – Daughter Cries Out!
SOJ WORLDWIDE: Honorable Makinde, what are your future plans in Osun Politics?
MAKINDE: Well, I remain unfulfilled politically as a man born because of his people. I would continue to see myself as an instrument of change. APC remains my party. With God sparing my life, I hope to offer myself and nake available for an elective position.
SOJ WORLDWIDE: We recall that SOUTH WEST AGENDA 23 SWAGA a group founded by a team which includes yourself is silent towards 2027 as against your principles of “Early to start slogan in 2020 towards 2023”. What is happening, is Swaga dying?
MAKINDE: Well, I do not have the mandate to speak on behalf of the group ,the SWAGA, but to call a spade a spade, the reward system is not encouraging and this, according to my personal observations is one of the factors killing people’s morale, very discouraging I must be candid, we as members of the central working committee are being mocked by our followers here and there.
At least I can speak for myself, an average man on the street call me SWAGA. We were truly the first set of people to consume this idea of BAT for President, we worked round the clock with one undivided mind, we started as early as 2020 and that was when many of the champion of today were still undecided, we went round the South West, North Central, Delta and Edit with nose mark during Covid-19 while some today beneficiaries were eating fat both at the Federal and at various State levels but today they are in the forefront reaping the rewards of our foresight which was full of risks.
I have not heard of a mention or the recognition of the unprecedented political movement. Yes, it’s such an unprecedented movement I would say, this really saddens my heart daily and sad that nobody seems to think it right to remind our dear leader about us, I honestly think something is wrong somewhere because from record Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a man who never betray his foot soldiers.
We are still waiting and together and hoping for the better.
That indeed is part of what politics taught me, you may sometimes work like an elephant and eat like ants.
This should serve as a big lesson to those who think they are in the forefront campaigning for one gladiator or the other today. Take it cool. Only God can reward us accordingly.
SOJ WORLDWIDE: It’s been almost 10 years since you left the National Assembly, yet you are still relevant both in national politics and especially in Osun State. What is the secret?.
MAKINDE: I think my steadiness in Apc as a party and pedigree is the topmost in this you said, progressive family love it when you remain with them and not jumping around like many does. When I represented my people for just 48 months I actually think I did my best both on legislative matters and empowerment, it will be difficult for any one to beat my achievements.
I built schools, gave out scholarships, several cars, tricycles, motorcycles,bus for mosque, reconstruct Oba Palaces, hospital gave out employment, built church even as a Muslims.
All of these I hope to leverage on in my future engagement. These are the major strong credentials working for me and making me relevant despite several opposing forces, I actually faced a lot of challenges and a kind of “pulled him down” attack and syndrome especially at my home front by those who saw me as a threat, yet i remain undaunted, committed to my call and steadily in the progressive camp, I was maligned unnecessarily, my respect for the former governor was misconstrued to be betrayal by those who want me relegated at all cost because that was their own stock in trade. It was so tough to explain my neutrality and maintain my gratitude to the ex governor.
I must confess I have been so privileged and opportuned to serve in various capacities, Judiciary Service Commission as a Commissioner, Federal and State elections committee, served and serving as member of Federal School Voards, Human right commission, Naptips.
To set the record straight, I facilitated these two agencies to Osun State and I have also not abandoned my people either, I always reach out accordingly to them but sad, it’s within my little resources, I am very close to various palaces and group in my constituency, I closed ranks with many especially my dear brothers.
I became a social media influencer and occasionally I took to my own to register my opinion on both national and state issues,
In fact, I write scripts for some movie producers and newspapers as a columnist to ensure I remain relevant and to busy my brain.
I am a proud owner of two FM radio outfits in Nigeria, Oodua FM Ile Ife and in Lagos/Ogun, and personally i get involved.
To those who may not know me very well, I don’t drink or engage in anyin frivolity activities, I am ever dear to what I believe, gossiping I so hate my life or any act of anti party activities.
Love me, I love you, which is my principle in life.
I have since forgiven those who offended me or attempted to take my life, I don’t keep malice at all, I am now closer to my God and my family as I see my wife and family as mine.
I am a Muslim, born by a well-known Sheik in Ile Ife, he thought us to leave so many things to Allah and to remain focused.
READ ALSO: NAIRA Rates Against The USD, GBP, EURO Today, April 29, 2025
Kindly add SOJ WORLDWIDE ONLINE NEWS to your WhatsApp Groups for our daily news update with this number 08023851511
Leave a Reply