Lere Olayinka Reacts To Media Report Claiming Tinubu Is Jittery Over Seyi Makinde’s Growing Popularity

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is worried about the growing political profile of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Olayinka was reacting to reports attributed to the Alliance People’s Movement (APM), which claimed that President Tinubu had become “jittery” over Makinde’s increasing popularity.

According to the report, Makinde has emerged as the consensus presidential candidate of the APM following an alliance between the party and a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State.

Responding in a post on his X account, Olayinka ridiculed the report and those promoting Makinde’s alleged presidential ambition.

Writing partly in Pidgin English, he said:

“Na only Isaac Fayose go come know the kin WEED (Igbo) wey this people wey dey follow this Ibadan Gomina General with Iwo Road and Bodija Presidential ambition dey smoke like this.

His comments suggest he considers the claims that Tinubu is unsettled by Makinde’s political rise to be unrealistic.

The post has since attracted reactions on social media, with supporters and critics of both politicians debating the prospects of the 2027 presidential race and the political realignments reportedly taking shape across opposition parties.

Neither Governor Makinde nor the Presidency had publicly responded to Olayinka’s remarks at the time of filing this report…....