Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has scored President Bola Tinubu’s administration 34 per cent, saying the government has recorded some progress but fallen short in addressing the country’s broader challenges.
Makinde disclosed his assessment during an exclusive interview with ARISE News on Friday, where he evaluated the President’s performance in key sectors of governance.
The governor explained that his rating was based on the percentage of Nigerians who voted for Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, stressing that the administration needed to gain wider public support to effectively implement its policies.
“It’s just about the same percentage of the people that supported him in 2023. Thirty-four per cent,” Makinde said.
He maintained that the President must secure the backing of those who opposed him during the last election, noting that their support was critical to achieving meaningful progress.
“You need the 67 per cent of Nigerians that were against him in 2023 to be on boardThis is a massive number,” he said.
Despite his overall rating, Makinde praised the Federal Government’s move towards establishing state police, describing it as a significant step towards decentralising the country’s security architecture.
The governor, who has repeatedly advocated state-controlled policing, said individual states should be given the opportunity to establish police structures according to their capacity and preparedness.
“The President has done well with the formation of the state police,” he said.
On education, Makinde acknowledged the Federal Government’s student loan initiative but argued that financial support for students alone was insufficient to address the sector’s challenges.
He said the government must also prioritise teachers’ welfare and improve security in schools to guarantee effective learning.
“Having money for students to go to school… is a small fraction of what they’re supposed to do,” Makinde said.
“You need the teachers that are motivated. You need even security” for educational institutions, he added.
The governor stressed that education policies should focus not only on making schooling accessible but also on equipping young Nigerians with the necessary skills and knowledge to secure jobs or establish businesses.
He noted that while addressing certain aspects of the sector was commendable, it would not automatically resolve its fundamental problems.
“If you have three or four pockets and one is being addressed, I would say it’s a movement in the right direction.
“But that alone will not solidly ensure that our children have skills and knowledge that can either make them employable or turn them into entrepreneurs,” Makinde said.
Makinde’s assessment comes against the backdrop of his criticism of Tinubu’s economic policies, which he has argued have not adequately improved employment opportunities, earnings and the living conditions of Nigerians.
Although the Oyo governor acknowledged some progress in macroeconomic stabilisation, he said more comprehensive and coordinated policies were needed to tackle the country’s economic, security and educational challenges.
He has also presented his ‘Reset Nigeria’ agenda as an alternative to the policies of the Tinubu administration.
