Governor Seyi Makinde has come under fire from some PDP leaders in Oyo State following his pronouncement that he would not endorse the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
The leaders formally expressed their support for Atiku, who is being opposed by Makinde and four other PDP governors.
The leaders of the party from the 33 local government areas of the state met in an emergency session on Wednesday in Ibadan, where this decision was taken.
On Saturday, Makinde stated on a live radio broadcast that he and other PDP governors who felt wronged would not support the party’s presidential nominee.
The other four governors have not concealed their opposition for Atiku and have vowed not to work for him until the resignation of the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, to allow a southerner to fill the position.
However, one of the party’s leaders, Dr. Wole Oyelese, a former minister of mines and steel development, said Makinde wasn’t speaking for the PDP in the state.
He declared that PDP leaders would labour and win the state for the party’s 2023 presidential nominee, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
Oyelese said, “A good politician will not speak like that. It doesn’t mean anything if Makinde says he will not work for Atiku. He is on his own! It is an empty threat! If he said we should not vote for Atiku, who are we voting for? We are too sophisticated for that in Oyo state. Makinde is a newcomer in Oyo State politics but we shall continue to work for our party.
“However, we are working for Atiku in a special way. My advice for any politician who wants to win in Oyo State is to come to the mainstream. Mainstream is the leadership of the party in the state.
“What is the position of Yoruba on this matter that Makinde is talking about? We don’t have a position. Pa Fasoranti is saying something and Baba Adebanjo is saying another thing. We are not having a position in Yorubaland. Our members remain steadfast and committed. This is our party and we cannot allow it to break down.”
Another PDP leader, Femi Babalola said the governor was also guilty of the points he raised against the presidential candidate of the PDP.
“He that comes to equity must come with clean hands. As an Engineer, I analyse issues. The first question I asked myself was is it good for a northerner to take over from a northerner?
“Another question is, is it good for an Ibadan man to take over from Ibadan man that spent eight years? So, for Makinde that benefited from such, why is he now antagonising another person? He didn’t see anything that is wrong in that but when it is Atiku, it is wrong,” he added.
In his response, the Chief Press Secretary to Oyo State Governor, Taiwo Adisa, said Makinde and the other aggrieved governors had never said they would campaign for any other presidential candidate.
He said, “Governor Makinde, and his colleagues including Governors Nyesom Wike, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Samuel Ortom, and Okezie Ikpeazu have consistently said they will concentrate their campaigns on the PDP candidates in their states if the PDP system will not do the needful on the issue concerning the national chairman.
“They have not said they will campaign for any other candidate at the Presidential level.”
