Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said it has become increasingly difficult to speak truth to power under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Makinde made the remark on Saturday while speaking at a public function in Ibadan, where he compared the current political climate with what he described as a more consultative style of governance during the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, whose leadership approach Makinde openly praised, saying he missed his style of governance.
“You cannot speak truth to power in this dispensation,” the governor said, while criticising the Tinubu administration’s handling of the tax reform bills.
According to Makinde, governors had called for broader consultation and review of the tax bill before it was forwarded to the National Assembly, but their concerns were ignored.
“We said, ‘Bring the tax bill back; let us all have an opportunity to look dispassionately at it.’ They said the tax bill would go ahead. We don’t even know what was passed at the National Assembly, and we also don’t know what was eventually signed,” he said, describing the situation as an affront to state governors.
Makinde, speaking directly to Osinbajo at the event, expressed deep admiration for his role as chairman of the National Economic Council (NEC), noting that Osinbajo’s leadership influenced key decisions he made as governor.
He recalled the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2020, when pressure mounted on state governors to impose total lockdowns.
“I was barely seven months into office when COVID came. At the NEC meeting, there was pressure for all states to lock down completely. The decision I took in Oyo State not to impose a total lockdown was influenced by his guidance,” Makinde said.
The governor concluded by stating that his comments were not politically motivated but a reflection of his experience in governance, adding, “Sir, I personally miss you in that position. A lot of people may not know why things are not really the same.”
