Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo state, said he has been “busy” campaigning for the PPDP to win the 2023 general election. Due to the party’s internal crisis, Makinde and other Governor Wike allies stayed away from Atiku’s campaign launch in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. The governor of Oyo state, on the other hand, stated that he did not go to Uyo because that is not where he needs to “put the votes together.”
The Oyo state governor was responding to a question from a newsman in Abuja about his absence from the PDP’s presidential campaign launch in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, according to AIT.
Makinde was one of the PDP governors who did not attend the party’s campaign launch in Uyo on Monday, October 12.
Others include Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, and Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwunayi. The governors are believed to have stayed away after the party failed to resolve the internal crisis and grant their demand: the removal of Iyorchia Ayu as national chairman. They had recently left the party’s presidential campaign.
When asked on Wednesday if the PDP is still in crisis, which is why he did not attend the presidential campaign flag-off in Uyo, Governor Makinde said he needed to be in Oyo rather than Uyo,
“I’ve been busy campaigning for everyone at home in Oyo state.” Uyo is not where I need to gather the votes. It is in Oyo, so I stayed in Oyo,” the governor of Oyo state was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Governor Makinde has been chastised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) for acting like Wike’s aide. The party insisted that the governor of Oyo’s performance since taking office in May 2019 has been dismal. The Oyo APC publicity secretary, Olawale Shadare, revealed this in a statement on Sunday, September 18.