“I Did Not Step Forward To Step Down”: We Are Going Forward – Makinde

I must begin by thanking the people of Oyo State for their patience, cooperation and resilience throughout the difficult weeks that our children and teachers from Ahoro-Esinle and Yawota remained in captivity.

As I stated during my statewide broadcast, we are strengthening security around the communities adjoining the Old Oyo National Park, improving community intelligence and reviewing the protection of vulnerable schools and communities.

Please remain vigilant. If you see anything suspicious, report it to the appropriate security agencies or call 615, the Oyo State toll-free emergency number.

Now, let me turn to another matter that concerns the kind of institutions we are building in Nigeria.

On Wednesday, 22 July 2026, a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan delivered judgment in a case instituted by the Oyo State Government against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

To understand why this judgment matters, we must return to my interview on Channels Television on 15 April 2025. I was asked about the possibility of running for President. I responded:

“I don’t have any doubt that I have the capacity to occupy the highest office in this land, and I have what it takes.”

I had not declared that I would run. In fact, I made it clear that such a decision would depend on what Nigerians wanted and the direction my political party chose.

Nevertheless, the political reactions began.

On 1 June 2025, just about a week after the All Progressives Congress endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election, an APC chieftain publicly warned me not to contest against the President. He described such a candidacy as an exercise in futility and advised the opposition not to waste its time.

The following day, 2 June 2025, the EFCC wrote to the Accountant-General of Oyo State demanding copies of every contract involving the Oyo State Government and details of all transactions and payments made to contractors from 2021 to the date of its letter.

No contractor was identified. No company was named. No questionable transaction or alleged offence was stated.

Yet, we did not refuse to cooperate.

We asked the EFCC to identify the contractors, companies or transactions under investigation so that we could provide the relevant documents.

The Commission did not respond.

We therefore approached the court, not to prevent a lawful investigation, but to determine whether any institution could demand several years of government records without identifying what it was investigating.

More than one year later, the court has answered that question.

Justice Nkeonye Maha affirmed that the EFCC has the authority to investigate financial crimes. However, the court held that this power must be exercised within the Constitution and the rule of law.

The court described the demand made to Oyo State as speculative and a fishing expedition. It ruled that any request for information must be reasonable and connected to a specific allegation.

Perhaps the timing of the EFCC’s letter was coincidental.

I will not speculate about motives. Nigerians can consider the chronology and reach their own conclusions.

For me, the greater issue is the kind of institutions we want for our country.

No government should be beyond legitimate investigation. Our administration is not beyond scrutiny, and we have never asked to be.

But accountability must be based on evidence. An investigation should not begin with a blanket search through years of records in the hope that something incriminating might eventually be found.

This judgment is therefore not a victory against the EFCC. It is a victory for the rule of law and the principle that even powerful institutions must act within legal boundaries.

It is also a reminder of why Nigeria needs a different kind of leadership.

Since I formally entered the presidential race, I have heard the speculation. Some say I am merely positioning myself for negotiations. Others say that when the time comes, I will step down for another candidate.

Let me be clear:

I did not step forward in order to step down.

I am going forward.

I am going forward because Nigerians deserve better.

Nigerians deserve institutions that serve the law rather than political interests. They deserve an economy that rewards hard work, communities in which they can live without fear of abduction and leaders who will defend the public interest even when doing so is inconvenient.

I understand the scale of the political forces gathered on the other side. Some will look at the machinery of the ruling party and conclude that the outcome has already been decided.

But I have been counted out before.

Oyo State has shown that practical, people-centred governance is possible. We do not claim to have solved every problem, but we have demonstrated that there is another way to govern.

This journey is about giving Nigerians a credible choice.

Every political establishment looks unbeatable—until the people decide that it is not.

We have chosen to stand our ground.

And we are going forward.

Talk to you again soon.