Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo state, says he is happy to be
part of the process that “redrew the electoral map of Nigeria”.
The governor made the comment on Saturday when he was
featured on Splash FM’s State Affairs with Desmond Obilo.
He was responding to a question on whom he voted for during
the recently concluded presidential election.
Makinde is part of the G5, a group of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) governors who refused to support and campaign for Atiku Abubakar,
their party’s flagbearer, over calls for the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu as the
PDP national chairman.
Bola Tinubu, president-elect, polled 449, 884 votes in the
presidential election in Oyo state to defeat Atiku who polled 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.
Asked if the candidate he is referring to is Tinubu, Makinde
replied, “well, if you say so”.
“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.”
Three of the G5 governors — Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie
Ikpeazu of Abia, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu — lost their senatorial bids
during Saturday’s poll.
Asked if he will also “pay the price” with his re-election
bid, Makinde said he would choose to do what is right over his political
interests.
“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, however, expressed confidence that he will be
declared winner of the governorship poll while appealing to the people of the
state to vote the PDP in all positions.
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