From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The cracks in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State deepened on Wednesday as some leaders and critical stakeholders of the party distanced themselves from the position of Governor Seyi Makinde, who said he would not support the candidature of the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
The cracks became pronounced at an emergency meeting of the leaders of the party drawn from the 33 local government areas of the state, held in Ibadan.
The resolutions of the meeting boosted the chances of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku, as the leaders and stakeholders disagreed with Makinde on his stand against Atiku. According to them, Makinde was only speaking for himself, not the generality of the party members, leaders and stakeholders.
Former minister of Mines and Steel Development, Elder Wole Oyelese, and a chieftain of the party in the state, Mr Femi Babalola, were among the speakers during the emergency meeting.
Makinde is among the serving PDP governors that are against Atiku, based on certain grounds a northerner (President Muhammadu Buhari) cannot complete eight years tenure and also return power to the North for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to take over. The PDP national chairman, according to him, cannot come from the North and the presidential candidate also emerge from the North.
But Oyelese, in his remark during the meeting, took a swipe at Makinde, saying a good politician would not speak the way the governor has purportedly been talking against Atiku.
His words: “For Makinde to say he would not work for Atiku doesn’t mean anything. 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. Baba Fasoranti (Chief Reuben Fasoranti, the Afenifere Leader) is saying something and Baba Adebanjo (Pa Ayo Adebanjo, the Acting Afenifere Leader) 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.”
Babalola, popularly known as Jogor, remarked: “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? And another question is is it good for an Ibadan man to take over from an 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 with that but when it is Atiku, it is wrong.
“Also, did he distribute key positions equitably? Key positions were appointed from the governor’s local government – Ibadan North East. The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), the Commissioner for Finance, Commissioner for Local Government and the only PDP Senator in Oyo are all from Ibadan North East. He is now speaking with equity, which should not come from him.
“We are for Atiku and we are for the PDP. You can see leaders and stakeholders across the 33 local governments at this meeting. And we are all ready to win Oyo State for our presidential candidate.”