The Oyo State Interfaith Office has declared that the massive turnout witnessed during the official presidential declaration of Governor Seyi Makinde was a clear indication of what it described as the “organic love and acceptance” the governor enjoys among the people.
He pledged to embark on aggressive grassroots mobilization across the state ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking shortly after the unity rally jointly organized by the PDP and APM, and Makinde’s official declaration held at Mapo in Ibadan on Thursday, the Special Assistant on Interfaith Office, Reverend Femi Ibikunle said the crowd that flooded major roads leading to the venue, alongside the thousands of supporters who converged from different parts of the state at the event was not orchestrated through inducement, but rather a show of genuine support for Makinde’s leadership style and political ideology.
The office, which coordinates religious harmony and engagement among Christian and Muslim communities in the state, noted that the governor’s approach to governance over the last seven years had earned him goodwill among various religious groups, traditional institutions, youths, artisans and civil servants.
According to the Interfaith Office, the unprecedented turnout reflected public confidence in Makinde’s record in infrastructure, education, healthcare, workers’ welfare and religious tolerance, insisting that the governor’s popularity has continued to grow beyond Oyo State.
“The crowd witnessed at the declaration was beyond politics. It was a reflection of genuine acceptance and appreciation from the people. Nobody can manufacture such organic love,” Ibikunle stated.
He added that residents who lined major streets to receive the governor, alongside party faithful and supporters who travelled from different local governments, demonstrated that Makinde’s political movement had evolved into what it described as “a people-driven project.”
He further maintained that religious leaders and faithful across different denominations had continued to identify with the governor because of what he called Makinde’s fairness, accessibility and inclusive style of governance.
“We have seen a governor who carries everybody along irrespective of religion, ethnicity or political affiliation. That is why the people are naturally connected to him,” the statement added.
The Interfaith Office also vowed to intensify mobilization efforts across the 33 local government areas of the state, saying structures would be activated at ward and community levels to rally support for Makinde’s presidential ambition.
According to Ibikunle, consultations with clerics, community stakeholders, market leaders and youth associations have already commenced, with plans underway for wider engagement campaigns in the coming months.
The office stressed that the governor’s emergence on the national political stage represents what he termed “a fresh opportunity for competent and people-oriented leadership” in Nigeria.
He expressed optimism that Makinde’s governance record in Oyo State would serve as a strong selling point to Nigerians seeking credible leadership ahead of the next presidential election.
He described the declaration as one of the largest political gatherings witnessed in Ibadan in recent times, with supporters chanting solidarity songs and waving banners bearing inscriptions endorsing Makinde’s presidential ambition.
The declaration ceremony also attracted political associates, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth groups and party stakeholders from across the South-West and other parts of the country, further fueling speculations about the governor’s growing national influence within the opposition political space.