Bello Muhammad Goronyo, the minister of State for Works, has opened a fresh political front ahead of the 2027 elections, publicly urging Seyi Makinde,Oyo State Governor to abandon his presidential ambition on the Allied Peoples Movement platform and join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to bring Oyo closer to President Bola Tinubu’s government.
Goronyo made the call on Monday during the flag-off of the dualisation of the Ibadan-Ijebu Road in Ogun State, where Tinubu was represented by Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun.
Makinde, who is positioning himself for the 2027 presidential election on the APM platform, was absent from the event.
The minister described joining the APC as a ‘natural giant step’ that would enable Oyo State to align fully with the Federal Government and benefit from Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
‘I therefore warmly welcome and openly invite His Excellency the Governor of Oyo State, Mr Engineer Seyi Makinde, to take the natural giant step into the All Progressives Congress, the APC,’ Goronyo said.
‘Come and align Oyo State fully with the centre under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.’
Goronyo also praised Abiodun for his contributions to infrastructure development in Ogun State and the wider South-West, saying the APC-led government was accelerating development through major infrastructure projects.
‘The central train of development is moving fast under our progressive banner,’ the minister said.
The invitation comes as political calculations intensify ahead of the 2027 general election, with parties and politicians increasingly seeking new alliances and platforms.
Makinde has remained one of the prominent figures associated with the opposition camp and is seeking to build a national platform for his presidential ambition.
His potential movement to the APC would represent a major political realignment in the South-West, given Oyo’s strategic importance in the region.
The Ibadan-Ijebu Road dualisation project is expected to improve connectivity between Oyo and Ogun states, reduce travel time and facilitate the movement of people and goods across the South-West.
The project is also part of the Federal Government’s broader infrastructure programme aimed at strengthening road networks and supporting economic activity.
Dignitaries at the ceremony included Minister of Works Dave Umahi, the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rasheed Ladoja, Ogun State Deputy Governor Noimat Salako, and Sharafdeen Abiodun Ali, the APC governorship candidate in Oyo State.
Goronyo’s appeal adds a new dimension to the growing political realignments ahead of 2027, as the ruling party seeks to consolidate its influence across key states and regions.