Oyinlola, who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made this known during an interview on Channels Television when asked whether he still supported the endorsement he and some PDP stakeholders in Osun State gave Tinubu on July 20, 2025.
Responding briefly, the former governor said, “It has expired.”
He subsequently explained that the endorsement was not necessarily an expression of unconditional political support for Tinubu but a strategic move intended to address specific political challenges confronting Osun State at the time.
According to him, the decision was motivated by concerns over local government administration, particularly the controversy surrounding the control of local government offices and the alleged withholding of council funds.
Oyinlola said the stakeholders believed that supporting Tinubu would encourage the President to intervene and resolve the dispute affecting grassroots governance in the state.
Explaining the political calculation behind the endorsement, he said, “Reason being that if you need to catch a monkey, you have to behave like one. We have a problem in Osun State. The local government funds are missing.”
He further noted that the dispute over the legitimate occupants of local government offices remained unresolved, adding that the stakeholders believed the President had the authority and responsibility to intervene.
“The issue of who the rightful occupants of the local government offices are is not settled, and we believe that it’s within the purview of Mr President to resolve that. But that is not coming,” he said.
The former governor explained that the stakeholders were seeking a political solution to the situation because local governments represent the closest tier of government to the people.
He, however, admitted that the strategy failed to produce the expected results, prompting him to withdraw his support shortly after the endorsement was announced.
“We did not achieve anything, and I exited it almost immediately,” Oyinlola stated.
The former governor’s comments suggest that his earlier endorsement of Tinubu was driven largely by the expectation that the Federal Government would intervene in the local government crisis in Osun State.
Oyinlola has since declared support for Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, who is seeking the presidency in the 2027 general election on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
His latest position represents a shift from the political arrangement announced in July 2025 and comes as political realignments continue ahead of the 2027 elections.
The development also highlights the complexities of political alliances in Nigeria, where endorsements may be influenced by local interests, negotiations and expectations beyond national party affiliations.
