2027: Why Muslims won’t vote for Makinde 
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has declared that Muslims would not vote for Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, in the 2027 presidential election.
MURIC therefore advised political parties to avoid picking Makinde, as their presidential candidate. The group accused Makinde of targeting Muslim places of worship for demolition, conversion into fun grounds and naming them after himself.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Executive Director of the Islamic human rights organization, Prof. Ishaq Akintola.
“Political activities have started again as the 2027 general elections approach. Interested candidates for various positions have started identifying themselves while support groups are springing up.
“However, we note with deep concern that one of these support groups has solicited for the nomination of the governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, as the presidential candidate of a major opposition party in the 2027 presidential election.
“While we are not allergic to having accommodating, tolerant and generally moderate Christian candidates coming up for any position, MURIC will like to affirm that Nigerian Muslims North and South will not vote for Makinde. This is because he has openly and arrogantly displayed himself as an anti-Muslim leader. Political parties are therefore advised not to dissipate energy on him.
“The sins of Makinde against Muslims of Oyo State in particular and Nigerian Muslims in general, are many. We warned him at the time but he was power drunk. Despite several appeals, Governor Seyi Makinde demolished Adogba Central Mosque, Iwo Road, in the year 2020. He renamed the mosque after himself when it was rebuilt in 2023,” he said.
Akintola added: “Olore Central Mosque came under demolition threat. He seized the only praying ground used by Muslims in Bodija (Bodija Muslim Praying Ground) and turned it into a recreation centre.
“Under Makinde’s watch, Muslim children in schools were forced to attend Christian evangelical revivals addressed by foreign pastors. Muslim students were forced to sing Christmas carol.
“Makinde removed his deputy governor, Rauf Olaniyan, who was a committed Muslim because he saw the latter as a threat to his Christianisation agenda in the state. He also pursued a deliberate policy of replacing Muslim traditional rulers with Christians by rejecting Muslim nominees in Oyo, Ogbomosho, etc.
“This governor appointed six chairmen of governing boards but only one of them is a Muslim. He appointed 34 board members, but only 15 are Muslims. He also appointed 10 Christians as commissioners and gave Muslims 6 only.
“If given the keys of Aso Rock, Makinde will find some excuse to demolish the National Mosque, rebuild it and name it after himself. He is bad news for Muslims. While we do not write off a Christian as president, a viciously intolerant Christian is the last occupant we need at the villa. Any political party that fields Seyi Makinde as a presidential candidate is dead on arrival.”
