Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde emerged in Oyo State politics as a candidate many established political actors did not see coming. His election as Governor in 2019 awakened a renewed belief among the people that politics could produce purposeful leadership and that government could be made to work in their interest.

That belief has remained at the heart of his approach to public service.

Born in Ibadan on 25 December 1967, Seyi Makinde studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Lagos, graduating in 1990. He subsequently received specialist training in Industrial Control Services in Houston, Texas, and undertook further professional and executive education at Lagos Business School, Jiskoot Auto Control Training Centre in Kent, England, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He built his professional career in the oil and gas industry, specialising in fluid and gas measurement. He later founded Makon Engineering and Technical Services, which grew into Makon Group, an international business operating across oil and gas, power generation and energy infrastructure.

Before holding public office, Seyi Makinde supported thousands of people across Oyo State through scholarships and community-development initiatives. However, he understood that philanthropy alone could not solve problems created by weak public systems. His desire to create opportunities on a broader and more sustainable scale ultimately led him into politics.

After a long political journey, he was elected Governor of Oyo State on 10 March 2019 and re-elected for a second term in 2023.

His first term was guided by the Roadmap for Accelerated Development, 2019–2023, which prioritised education, healthcare, security and economic expansion through agribusiness and infrastructure development. In his second term, the Roadmap for Sustainable Development, 2023–2027, expanded this approach, using infrastructure, agribusiness, tourism and solid-minerals development to grow the economy and improve the lives of Oyo State residents.

Under his leadership, the state has pursued an interconnected approach to development: building infrastructure to link communities and economic zones, strengthening security, expanding access to education and healthcare, and creating conditions in which businesses and citizens can prosper. By December 2025, Oyo State’s internally generated revenue had grown by 296 per cent from the administration’s starting position.

Central to Seyi Makinde’s leadership philosophy is the belief that government must be inclusive, accountable and responsive. His administration has maintained systems for receiving feedback directly from citizens and has sought to make public decisions based on evidence rather than political convenience.

On 14 May 2026, Seyi Makinde declared his intention to serve Nigeria at a higher level. He is the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement for the 2027 general election.

His campaign is built around the Reset Nigeria Agenda: a commitment to rebuild Nigeria’s systems and institutions so that the country works for every Nigerian.

For Seyi Makinde, the presidency is not simply the next step in a political career. It is an opportunity to take the lessons of private enterprise, philanthropy and two terms of governing one of Nigeria’s largest states and apply them to the urgent task of rebuilding the nation.