BAYO AGBOOLA reports that the drama at historic Mapo Hall in Ibadan filled to capacity last Thursday with the leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) turnout in their numbers for Governor Seyi Makinde re-election campaign flag-off
The suspense created
The occasion created somewhat suspense among the crowd due largely to the much awaited pronouncement on the possible stand of the G5 Governors of their anointed presidential candidate for the 2023 general elections.
Reading the mood of the capacity crowd at the venue, one needed not be told that a serious political game plan was about to unfold as there were the tell-tale signs that all is not well in the Oyo state PDP.
The stance of the G5 Governors, a group Governor Seyi Makinde, is a major actor, has elicited so much interest and expectation. The group has insisted that it would neither work for, nor vote its presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who hails from the same Northern Nigeria with the party’s National Chairman, Dr Iyiocha Ayu.
The G5 Governors have repeatedly tagged it an injustice against the Southern region of the country if Ayu, a northerner should continue leading the party, since that Atiku emerged the presidential candidate, insisting that he must step down for a Southern National Chairman.
However, major PDP stakeholders in Oyo state do not share the view with the G5 Governors and were out in their hundreds for a Freedom March in favour of Atiku Abubakar, a day before the Mapo re-election campaign flag-off, vowing to stop anti Atiku campaigners at the occasion.
Arrivals
As early as 8am, the PDP supporters, both for the pro Atiku group on one hand and those for Governor Seyi Makinde started trooping into Mapo arena for the day’s big event knowing full well that the G5 Governors were already in Ibadan for the great Mapo re-election campaign flag off of one of their own.
By noon, the large crowd at the venue became a herculean task for the security agencies to handle as people continued to besiege the area to catch glimpse of the G5 Governors declaring their anointed candidate for the February 25 presidential election.
At exactly, 12.43pm, Gov Makinde together with the other G5 Governors comprising the Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom; Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike; Enugu state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Abia state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu; Ayodele Fayose, a former governor of Ekiti state and his Ondo state counterpart, Olusegun Mimiko among other guests arrived the venue heralding the commencement of the flag-off with the Oyo state PDP Chairman welcoming the guests to the epoch making event.
The drama and G5 remarks
A mild drama had played out immediately it was announced that the G5 Governors would be making their pronouncements one after the other.
The pro Atiku group quickly regrouped to counter whatever might be the stand of the G5 Governors. The first to speak was Governor Samuel Ortom.
When he mounted the podium, he minced no words in telling the crowd of PDP supporters and admirers that the G5 Governors were committed party members of PDP and would work for all candidates of the party.
Having sensed the grand swell presence of the Atiku group, he however, said their stand on the presidential candidate to be voted for “shall be made known at the appropriate time.”
Amid Ortom’s remarks, the pro Atiku groups chanted “Atiku, Atiku, Atiku,” rented the hall. But Gov Ortom continued with his remarks, attributing the prolonged crisis in PDP between the Integrity group and Atiku to the failure of the national leaders to find timely solution to what he called internal issues within the party immediately after its convention.
“We have challenges with our national leadership. They have failed to resolve the internal crisis in the party arising from the the party’s National Convention. We shall make our resolve on this known at the appropriate time.
“We are here today to seek Oyo people’s mandate for Makinde to go back to Government House. We believe in fairness, equity and justice. We are committed to PDP in our various states. We are united; we are working for all our candidates in our various states.
“We are committed to PDP in our various states. At the appropriate time, we are going to let you know what to do. We are united; we are together. Don’t listen to gossips and social media ads. We are committed to PDP, and we are working for all our candidates in our states.
“All our candidates are going to win the governorship, the Senate, House of Representatives, and the House of Assembly. We are going to deliver to PDP. We have a challenge with the national leadership of our party because they have failed to deploy internal conflict resolution mechanism to solve the problems that arose after the convention”, Ortom said.
Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, whose arrival at the podium attracted loud ovation from the crowd including the pro Atiku groups, with shouts of “Atiku! Atiku! Atiku!”, renting the Mapo environs of Ibadan.
Speaking in his usual blunt style despite the shouts of “Atiku, Atiku, Atiku”, he announced that Governor Seyi Makinde would tell the people of Oyo state state who to vote for in the presidential election at the right time and that the other parties’ governorship candidates elections against Makinde should withdraw for him as he only saw PDP as the only existing political party in Oyo state for now.
“There is no other party in Oyo state. People of Oyo state, let me thank you for making your son valuable; a young man who is dependable; a young man who you can trust; a young man who can make you go home and sleep with your two eyes closed; a young man whose yes is yes, and whose no is no.
“And that is why he follows those who believe in fairness, in equity and in justice. Seyi Makinde is a good product and has done well since he was given mandate in 2019 and, therefore, the only way we can appreciate him more is for him to go back and complete the good work he has started because that is the only way you will get the best out of him.
“Let me use this opportunity and tell everyone, if there’s anyone from another party planning to vote now, withdraw now for Seyi Makinde. There is no need to worry yourselves; the people of Oyo have spoken that they are voting for Makinde. Vote for Seyi; vote for the senators; vote for the House of Representatives; vote for the House of Assembly. The other one, Seyi will talk to you, when it is time, Seyi will talk to you,” Wike enjoined the crowed.
Abia state governor, Ikpeazu in his remarks said, “Seyi Makinde is the Youth Leader of G-5, and he represents our vision for a better Nigeria, where there shall be respect for people and where everybody is important.”
The Enugu state governor, Ugwuanyi, on his part said, “We thank God for the gift of GSM (Governor Seyi Makinde). He has performed. He is active. Our prayer is that he returns to the Government House in 2023. I am a second term governor and by the special grace of God, I am in your support. Seyi Makinde will serve from May 2023 to May 2027 in Jesus name.”
Makinde while speaking at the flag-off appreciated the people of the state for supporting his administration right from inception till date and that he has kept his promises to the people of Oyo state as contained in the Oyo State Roadmap for Accelerated Development, 2019-2023, saying that it was time to upgrade to Omituntun 2.0, which would ensure the sustainable development of Oyo state.
Makinde explains desire to return
Explaining the need to offer him a second term, Makinde enumerated some of the key achievements of his administration which included free and qualitative education, building of critical infrastructure that have targeted and contributed to the expansion of the state’s economy, the growth of the state’s IGR from around N1.4 billion monthly in 2019 to about N3.8 billion monthly in 2022.
Others were securing the sole ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, the upgrade of the Emmanuel Alayande College of Education to a University of Education and the renovation and equipment of over 250 health facilities across the state.
“Under Omituntun 1.0, I promised you that, in the education sector, we would achieve the sole ownership of LAUTECH by Oyo state, and we have achieved that. Today, we have also achieved the upgrade of the Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo to a University of Education.”
“I promised economic prosperity to the people of Oyo state under Omituntun 1.0. I said I would take them from poverty to prosperity. We have grown our IGR from N1.4bn every month in 2019 when we took over the reins of government to N3.8bn as of November 2022.
“Under Omituntun 1.0, I promised that our infrastructure would integrate all the zones of our state and target our economy. We have done the 65km Moniya-Ijaye-Iseyin Road.
“There is Oyo-Iseyin Road; Ogbomoso-Iseyin Road; Apete-Awotan-Akufo Road; Airport Road; Akobo flyover and others.
“We scrapped the N3,000 education levy. “I promised that workers and retirees would get their full salaries and pensions on or before the 25th of every month; that date is now known as the GSM date and since 2019, workers and pensioners get paid.
“I promised the people a safe and secure environment, and we brought in Amotekun.I promised a government that will put the people first and all our decisions have shown just that. Now, it is time to upgrade. It is time for Omituntun 2.0.”
With the unfolding events in Oyo state chapter of the PDP, particularly, at the,”Freedom March” and the flag-off of the Makinde re-election campaign, the situation could best be a a dicey with the key players in the on going drama in the G5 Governors and pro Atiku in the state yet to agree on where they are tilting towards come February 25, presidential election.