Makinde Says ‘You Can’t Speak Truth to Power’ Under Tinubu Administration

Segun Atanda/

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said it is no longer possible to speak truth to power under the administration of President Bola Tinubu, citing the handling of Nigeria’s new tax laws as evidence.

Makinde made the remarks while speaking at the 60th birthday celebration of Samson Ajetomobi, President of The Men of Issachar Vision Incorporated and Overseer of the Redemption Faith Churches, held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), who served under President Muhammadu Buhari, was among the dignitaries in attendance at the event.

Expressing admiration for Osinbajo’s leadership style, Makinde said he missed his presence in government decision-making.

“I personally miss you as the vice president,” the governor said. “Things have not really been the same in this present administration.”

Makinde recalled how Osinbajo’s intervention during a National Economic Council meeting in 2020 influenced Oyo State’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly the decision not to impose a lockdown.

“I remember I was barely seven months into the position of the governor of Oyo State, and that was my very first public service job, and we had a crisis in the country,” he said.

“This was February 2020. There was COVID, and we came in for the National Economic Council meeting. It was a hot meeting.”

According to Makinde, the then Vice President chaired the meeting and proposed a course of action that differed from what some governors expected.

“The chairman of the council (Osinbajo) came in, and a few of my colleagues. I wasn’t sure whether they held a meeting before that meeting, but they came in and said we should all go back and lock down our state,” he said.

“So, for Oyo State people, why I did not lock down during COVID was because of his decision.”

However, the governor said the situation has changed under the current administration, arguing that dissenting views are no longer accommodated.

“But we had the same situation in this dispensation,” Makinde said. “It was the tax bill.”
“We said: ‘Look, bring the tax bill, bring it back, let us all have an opportunity to look dispassionately at it.’”

He added: “But you cannot speak truth to power in this dispensation: ‘The tax bill will go ahead.’”

Makinde’s comments come amid growing debate over tax reforms and the broader relationship between federal and state governments under the Tinubu administration.

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