The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-West has accused Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of insulting 32 state governors and millions of Nigerians by describing the APC Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 general election as a “Nebuchadnezzar Coalition” and an “alliance of failed governors”.

The party said the remarks, attributed to Makinde’s presidential campaign organisation, were disrespectful to governors who had expressed support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, irrespective of their political affiliations.

In a statement issued in Ibadan on Thursday, the APC South-West Zonal Publicity Secretary, Ayo Afolabi, said the governors backing Tinubu belonged to different political parties, including the APC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Accord.

He listed the South-West governors supporting Tinubu as Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo and Ademola Adeleke of Osun.

Afolabi argued that describing the governors as failures amounted to insulting the millions of Nigerians who voted them into office.

He warned that voters would remember the remarks when they went to the polls in 2027.

The APC also questioned Makinde’s position on political alliances, recalling that he was among the G5 governors who opposed the PDP’s presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 general election.

The party asked whether Makinde had considered his former allies political predators at the time, accusing him of changing his position to suit his current political circumstances.

It also alleged that Makinde had lost control of the PDP and claimed that his proposed alliance with the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) had encountered opposition from some party figures.

The APC also cited a reported description of the political initiative as “dead on arrival” by former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, arguing that Makinde faced difficulties in building a coalition while his own political base remained divided.

On governance, the party acknowledged the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians but defended the Tinubu administration’s reforms, arguing that the policies were laying the foundation for long-term economic recovery.

The APC challenged Makinde to account for the state of basic education in Oyo State, saying responsibility for primary and secondary education should not be placed entirely on the Federal Government.

Afolabi maintained that Tinubu had secured the confidence of 32 governors and expressed confidence that the APC would win the South-West in the 2027 presidential election.

“The South-West will not be divided by insults. We will deliver the zone to President Tinubu in 2027,” he said.