The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde has revealed why the people of his state cast their votes for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Bola Tinubu in the just concluded February 25, 2023 presidential election.
He said he’s glad to be one of those who participated in the process that “redrew the electoral map of Nigeria.”
The Governor made this revelation on Saturday, March 4, 2023 while granting a radio interview.
He made this reaction after being asked who he voted for in the last presidential election.
The Informant247 recalls that before the February 25 presidential election, Governor Makinde was one of the five aggrieved governors on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP who refused to support the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar; unless the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu resigns his appointment.
Makinde was one of the members of G5’ — a group of 5 aggrieved governors of the PDP.
Before the February 25 presidential election, the G5 Governors said the resignation of Ayu was a precondition to support Atiku’s presidency.
The G5 PDP governors were:
Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia),
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu),
Samuel Ortom (Benue),
Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and
Nyesom Wike (Rivers).
The Informant247 also recalls that the presidential candidate of the APC, Tinubu, who’s now the president-elect, gathered 449, 884 votes in the presidential election in Oyo state to conquer the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku who had 182, 977 votes.
“I supported fairness, justice and equity. I supported a united Nigeria, a Nigeria that gives opportunity to every part of this country,” Makinde said.
“He (Tinubu) defeated me out there (Makinde’s ward). How do you deliver your ward? You know, you allow people to express themselves. A lot of our people, that is what they decided to do. They decided that look, we want after 8 years of presidency in the north, they want it to come to the south and this place being southwest, one of theirs was a candidate so they supported one of their own.
“When you go into a contest, you have to situate things appropriately. We had a survey before that election; we knew that a lot of our people are agitating for a country where there is fairness, equity and justice. I pointed it out to our party.
“I am glad that I am a part of a process that redrew the electoral map of Nigeria. That arrogance, I believe with the result of last Saturday’s election is basically behind us. Now we know that people will have to seek for alignment. If you want to rule this country, you are not just going to say oh, because I am from a certain part of this country, then that is the only qualification I require to rule this country. Now, you have to build bridges, reach out to others.”
3 of the G5 governors who failed to achieve their political ambitions (senatorial bid) were :
Samuel Ortom of Benue,
Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, and
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu.
When asked whether the people of the state would vote for him or not, he said: “Well, that is left to the people of Oyo state. If I have to choose between my political survival and doing what is right and just within the political space in Nigeria, I will choose to forgo my political career,” he said.
The Governor said he’s confident that he will emerge winner of the governorship election as he persuaded the people to cast their votes for the PDP in all positions.