Makinde as Atiku’s Another Okowa | By Maroof Asudemade

Nigerians have seen this script before, and it did not end well. When Atiku Abubakar picked Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate in 2023, it was dressed up as strategy, balance, and inclusivity. But beneath the public relations varnish lay a more practical consideration: money. Presidential ambition in Nigeria is an expensive enterprise, and even a perennial contender like Atiku eventually needed reinforcement. Okowa, with the weight of Delta’s resources and influence, fit the bill.

Fast forward to today, and history appears to be repeating itself, only with a different cast. This time, the spotlight falls on Seyi Makinde, a governor whose growing national relevance seems increasingly tied not just to his politics, but to his purse.

Makinde’s recent political outings raise uncomfortable questions about priorities, prudence, and propriety. Hosting a controversial PDP gathering in Ibadan, widely criticised in some quarters as lacking proper legitimacy, was not a low-cost affair. Billions of naira were reportedly sunk into logistics, hospitality, and political theatre. That alone might have been dismissed as internal party exuberance, but it did not stop there.

The so-called “Summit of Opposition Parties,” also convened under Makinde’s watch, only deepened concerns. At a time when citizens are grappling with inflation, unemployment, and shrinking purchasing power, the optics of lavish political congregations funded, directly or indirectly, by state-linked resources are troubling. It suggests a leadership more invested in national power games than in the everyday struggles of its constituents.

This is where the comparison with Okowa becomes more than symbolic. Like Okowa before him, Makinde is increasingly being cast in the role of financial enabler; one who oils the machinery of Atiku’s enduring presidential ambition. The implication is stark: that political loyalty and relevance within certain circles may now be measured less by ideas and more by financial contribution.

But governance is not a marketplace where influence is bought and sold without consequence. Every naira spent on political grandstanding is a naira not spent on infrastructure, education, healthcare, or social welfare. In a state like Oyo, where developmental needs remain significant, such expenditure invites scrutiny, and rightly so.

Even more troubling is the precedent this sets. If political advancement becomes synonymous with financial outlay, then leadership risks devolving into a contest of who can spend the most, rather than who can serve the best. That is not democracy; it is plutocracy in disguise.

Makinde’s defenders may argue that political engagement at the national level is part of governance. They may insist that building alliances is necessary for influence. But there is a fine line between strategic engagement and reckless expenditure. Crossing that line, and doing so repeatedly, opens the door to accusations of profligacy.

The Atiku-Okowa experiment has already tested the limits of money-driven politics. It proved that deep pockets do not automatically translate to electoral success or public trust. If Makinde is now stepping into that same role, then he risks inheriting not just the position, but the baggage that comes with it. Which party is the same Okowa, who was a running mate to Atiku in not too distant 2023, with billions of Delta’s resources, now? APC!

Ultimately, Nigerians must ask: is this the kind of leadership the country needs at this critical juncture? One that channels vast resources into political spectacles, or one that demonstrates restraint, accountability, and a laser focus on governance?

If the answer is the latter, then the emerging Makinde-Atiku alignment should not be applauded; it should be questioned, rigorously and relentlessly. Or is it worth investing billions of Oyo’s resources since Makinde is most likely becoming Atiku’s running mate in 2027?