The Oyo Litmus Test: Can Makinde Be Trusted for National Assignments? By Deji Ola

Sincerely yours, the rhetorical question, “Can Seyi Makinde be trusted with a national assignment?”, has increasingly become a subject of serious discussion among key decision-makers, from digital media and mass communication professionals to the wider electorate.

For me, this is the simplest question I have ever come across in my few years of active involvement in politics. And trust me, it is not about overconfidence or an attempt to glorify an individual. Rather, it is about having a political product that is easy to market because his records speak for themselves. It is one thing to do public relations for an individual whose track record makes the job straightforward; it is an entirely different task to sell a candidate whose record requires endless explanations and complex justifications.

Governor Seyi Makinde, over the years, has reshaped the way many people perceive the business of government. His administration has demonstrated the difference between public servants who understand the responsibilities that come with leadership and those who simply find themselves in positions of authority by circumstance.

When he first declared his ambition to govern Oyo State, he did not attempt to manipulate the emotions of the people with catchy political rhetoric like “ohun lokan”. Instead, he presented a comprehensive roadmap focused on accelerating development and repositioning Oyo State for a more enviable future.

That approach gave the people of Oyo State something beyond promises: it gave them a basis upon which to make an informed decision. They made that decision, and the subsequent years have provided them with sufficient reasons to reassess it positively.

When the time came for re-election, the question was no longer simply about what he intended to do. There was already a body of work to assess. His administration had completed projects, initiated reforms and pursued policies that could be measured against the promises made during the first campaign.

After assessing the successes of the first term and identifying areas where more work was required, the administration presented another roadmap focused on sustaining and expanding the development trajectory of the state.

Today, the results are there for everyone to see, assess and judge.

That, for me, is the essence of the Oyo litmus test.

The assignment before Governor Makinde now is significantly bigger: to translate the strategy, discipline, technical competence and development philosophy demonstrated in Oyo State to the national stage.

I am convinced that he understands the enormity of that responsibility. More importantly, I believe he has approached it with preparation rather than desperation.

When the roadmap for reset Nigeria is eventually placed before Nigerians for scrutiny, I believe the conversation will move beyond personality, slogans and political calculations. Nigerians will have the opportunity to compare records, competence, capacity and the ability to deliver.

And if the choice is ultimately reduced to who can be trusted with the responsibility of rebuilding confidence in our national institutions, strengthening the economy and delivering purposeful governance, I have no difficulty stating where my confidence lies: Seyi Makinde.

Therefore, I implore Nigerians and political stakeholders to move beyond the recurring rhetorical questions: Can he win on his first attempt? Can he be trusted? Can his new political platform deliver? Can he pull it off at the national level?

Those are legitimate questions, but they should not become the entire conversation.

The more important question is: who has demonstrated the capacity to turn a vision into measurable results?

Governor Seyi Makinde has had the opportunity to demonstrate that capacity in Oyo State. The Oyo litmus test has produced a positive result.

Now, rather than endlessly debating whether the experiment can work at the national level, perhaps the time has come to ask whether Nigeria is ready to benefit from the same approach.

He has done it in Oyo State.

Let us give him the opportunity to replicate that success at the national level.

For the prosperity, stability and progress of our dear nation, Nigeria deserves nothing less than leadership that is prepared, measurable and accountable.

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