Minister of State for Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, has urged Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Goronyo made the call on Monday during the flag-off of the dualisation of the Ibadan-Ijebu Road in Ogun State.
President Bola Tinubu was represented at the event by Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun.
The minister said Makinde’s defection to the APC would allow Oyo State to align with the Federal Government and benefit from the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration.
“The central train of development is moving fast under our progressive banner,” Goronyo said.
He then invited Makinde to join the ruling party and work with the Federal Government.
“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,” he said.
“Come and align Oyo State fully with the centre under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Goronyo made the appeal while speaking about the Federal Government’s infrastructure projects across the country.
He commended Abiodun for his contribution to the development of Ogun State and the South-West region.
The minister said the Ibadan-Ijebu Road project would improve movement between Ibadan in Oyo State and communities around Ijebu in Ogun State.
The road is an important route between the two states and its planned dualisation is expected to improve transportation and movement of goods along the corridor.
Makinde was not present at the ceremony.
The Oyo governor is currently seeking the presidency under the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) ahead of the 2027 election.
The APM unveiled Makinde and former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura, as its presidential and vice-presidential candidates at its national convention in Bauchi on August 13.
At the convention, Makinde said Nigeria needed a political alternative that would provide practical solutions to the country’s economic and security challenges.
He also called for the devolution of more powers to state governments and pledged to reform the country’s security architecture if elected president.
The APM has continued to position Makinde as its main challenger to President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf, said last week that the party had built structures across the country and was working with opposition groups ahead of the election.
Yusuf said the party had also assembled a campaign structure and would unveil more details as preparations for the election continue.
Makinde has also taken steps to strengthen the APM structure in Oyo State.
In July, he inaugurated the party’s apex campaign council in the state and charged its members to engage party leaders and supporters ahead of the 2027 election.
He said unity and cooperation among party members would be important to the success of the campaign.
The latest invitation from Goronyo therefore comes as Makinde’s presidential campaign continues under the APM platform.
The event was attended by Minister of Works Dave Umahi, the Olubadan of Ibadan Oba Rasheed Ladoja, Ogun State Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele and APC governorship candidate in Oyo State Sharafadeen Abiodun Ali.
