Former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has withdrawn his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, declaring that his previous endorsement of the president for the 2027 general election has expired.

 

Oyinlola made this known during an interview on Channels Television, where he was asked whether he still stood by the endorsement he gave Tinubu in July 2025.

 

In his response, the former governor simply said, “It has expired.”

Recall that Oyinlola was among the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in Osun State who endorsed Tinubu for a second term on July 20, 2025.

 

However, explaining the circumstances behind the endorsement, Oyinlola said the decision was a political strategy aimed at addressing the challenges confronting Osun State at the time.

 

According to him, the endorsement was largely influenced by the unresolved dispute over local government administration and the alleged withholding of funds meant for local governments in the state.

 

He explained that the PDP stakeholders believed supporting Tinubu would help secure the President’s intervention in resolving the crisis.

 

“Reason being that if you need to catch a monkey, you have to behave like one. We have a problem in Osun State. The local government funds are missing. The issue of who the rightful occupants of the local government offices are is not settled, and we believe that it’s within the purview of Mr President to resolve that. But that is not coming,” he said.

 

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Oyinlola added that the endorsement was intended to create a political opening for the state to resolve the challenges affecting local government administration, which he described as the closest tier of government to the people.

 

However, he said the political arrangement failed to deliver the expected results, prompting him to withdraw from it shortly after it was announced.

 

“We did not achieve anything, and I exited it almost immediately,” he added.

 

Oyinlola Backs Makinde for 2027 Presidency

 

The former governor has now declared his support for Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

 

Makinde is reportedly considering a presidential bid on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), although further details of his political plans remain subject to confirmation.

 

Oyinlola’s latest position marks a departure from his earlier support for Tinubu and signals a shift in his political alignment ahead of the 2027 general election.

 

His comments also come amid growing political realignments within opposition circles as politicians begin positioning themselves ahead of the next presidential contest.