By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State is currently locked in a high-level closed-door meeting with Rabiu Kwankwaso, the national leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), at a location in the state capital, Ibadan.
The high-profile encounter, which signals ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, was confirmed in a brief video shared by the X handle Oyo Affairs on Wednesday. The footage captured Governor Makinde arriving at the venue and exchanging warm pleasantries with Kwankwaso and other dignitaries present.
“Former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, is currently in a closed-door meeting with Governor Seyi Makinde in Ibadan,” the platform stated, though the specific agenda of their discussion remained undisclosed as of press time.
This meeting comes just weeks after Governor Makinde and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar paid a visit to former Military President Ibrahim Babangida at his Uphill Mansion in Minna, Niger State. That visit was widely interpreted as part of early, strategic consultations among key political figures jostling for position ahead of the next presidential election.
Kwankwaso’s presence in Ibadan follows his recent return to Nigeria via the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The NNPP had described his trip as part of “strategic international engagements” in India.
Political observers are keenly watching these interactions, viewing them as early moves in the intricate game of coalition-building and alliance formation that typically precedes a major election cycle in Nigeria.
