Alhaji Abubakar Atiku’s chances of winning the PDP presidential nomination increased on Wednesday in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo state, as party leaders and stakeholders disagreed with Governor Seyi Makinde’s stance against Atiku, claiming that Makinde was only speaking for himself and not for the majority of the party’s members, leaders, and stakeholders.
On Saturday, Governor Makinde stated on a live radio broadcast that he and other PDP governors who felt wronged would not support the party’s presidential nominee.
Makinde had on the radio programme said a northerner cannot complete eight years tenure and also return power to the North for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to take over. He also argued that the national chairman of the party cannot come from the North and the presidential candidate also emerge from the North.
Elder Wole Oyelese, a former minister of mines and steel development, and a prominent party leader, Engr. Femi Babalola, however, claimed that Makinde was speaking for himself and not the party in the state while speaking at an emergency meeting of party leaders from the state’s 33 local government areas.
He declared that PDP leaders would labor and win the state for the party’s 2023 presidential nominee, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“A good politician would not speak like that,” Oyelese asserted. Makinde’s declaration that he wouldn’t work for Atiku is meaningless. He is by himself! It is a meaningless threat! If he advised against voting for Atiku, who are we voting for?
“We are too sophisticated for that in Oyo state. Makinde is a new comer in Oyo state politics but we shall continue to work for our party. However, we are working for Atiku in a special way. My advise for any politician who wants to win in oyo state is to come to 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. Baba Fasoranti is saying something and Baba Adebanjo is saying another thing. We are not having a position in Yoruba land. Our members remain steadfast and committed. This is our party and we cannot allow it to breakdown.”
