25 Facts About Seyi Makinde

Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde is a Nigerian engineer, businessman, and politician who has served as the governor of Oyo State since 2019.

Seyi Makinde is an engineer and a subject matter expert on fluid and gas metering.

Seyi Makinde is the group managing director of Makon Group Limited; an indigenous oil and gas company in Nigeria.

Seyi Makinde established his first oil and gas private business called Makon Engineering and Technical Services, at the age of 29 in the year 1997, after earning years of work experience with international oil and gas companies.

Seyi Makinde began his education at St Paul Primary School and completed his primary education at St Michael Primary School, Yemetu, Ibadan.

In 1998, Seyi Makinde trained at Industrial Control Services in Houston, Texas on Safety Shutdown System; and Development of Analytical Competence for Managing Operations at Lagos Business School in 1999.

Seyi Makinde did his national service with Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, where he was later engaged as a pupil engineer.

Seyi Makinde served in different capacities; handling and partaking in several key projects between 1990 and 1992.

In 1997, Seyi Makinde established his first business, Makon Engineering and Technical Services Limited, after working for five years with various international oil and gas companies, as the Engineering Manager.

Seyi Makinde is the group managing director of Makon Group of Companies.

Seyi Makinde is a member of national and international professional bodies notably: Nigerian Society of Engineers, Council for Regulations of Engineering in Nigeria, Oil and Gas Design Engineers of Nigeria, International Society of Automation, Institute of Measurement and Control UK; and American Measurement Institute.

In 2007, Seyi Makinde contested for the Oyo South Senatorial seat under the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party but lost to the People's Democratic Party candidate- Kamoru Adedibu.

Seyi Makinde remained undeterred by his first failed attempt and in 2010; under the People's Democratic Party, PDP, he aspired for the Oyo South 2011 Senatorial seat but lost the primary to the incumbent Oyo South Senator.

In 2014, Seyi Makinde aimed for the Oyo State 2015 governorship ticket under the platform of the People's Democratic Party.

Seyi Makinde however, remained true to his ambition and defected to the Social Democratic Party, under which platform he contested for the Oyo State 2015 SDP gubernatorial candidate, but came out 3rd having garnished over 50,000.

In September 2017, the Caretaker National Chairman of PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi visited him in Ibadan and following extensive, deep and wide consultations with National Leaders, Oyo State leaders and elders of the Social Democratic Party, and cross sections of strategic partners within Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde returned to his former political party, People's Democratic Party.

Seyi Makinde maintained that joining the PDP was not for personal gains but for the development of the State by finding lasting solutions to the array of problems facing the State.

On 29 September 2018, Seyi Makinde emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of the People's Democratic Party for the 2019 general elections for Oyo State, after polling 2772 votes at the primary election that took place at liberty stadium, Oke-Ado in Ibadan.

On 9 March 2019, Seyi Makinde polled 515,621 votes defeating his closest rival, Adebayo Adelabu of the All Progressive Party who polled 357,982 votes.

Seyi Makinde was elected into the Office of the Governor of Oyo State at the 2019 Gubernatorial elections for Oyo State which held on 9 March 2019.

Seyi Makinde takes over from Late Senator Abiola Ajimobi after the latter's eight years in office.

On 7 April 2022, Seyi Makinde declared his intention of run for another four years as clamored by the good people of Oyo State due to his ground breaking achievements since resuming office in 2019.

Seyi Makinde made this declaration in a message posted on his social media channels stating that "if the people of Oyo state desire it, we will serve four more years".

Seyi Makinde contested in the 2023 general election in his bid for reelection as the governor of Oyo state in March 18, he won the election polling the highest votes to beat his closest rival Teslim Folarin of the All Progressive Congress and Adebayo Adelabu of Accord.

Seyi Makinde is married to Tamunominini Makinde, a Southern Nigerian by birth, and they have three children.