Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Saturday dismissed claim by the National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, that the Ondo State’s October 10 gubernatorial election is linked to the Southwest bid for the presidency in 2023.
Tinubu had during a meeting with the traditional rulers during the kickoff of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s re-election campaign last Saturday said that ensuring that the APC wins Ondo governorship poll will brightens South-West’s quest to produce Nigeria’s next president. (Read the story here )
“I want to implore all traditional rulers to endorse Akeredolu and work for his re-election. His re-election is in the interest of the people of Ondo State and Yoruba land at large. As the ruling party at the federal level, we should allow continuity in Ondo State,” the former Lagos State Governor said while emphasizing that allowing the opposition to win the state would not brighten the chances of Southwest claim to the 2023 presidential ticket of APC.
But in an obvious reply to the former governor during the flag off of the Peoples Democratic Party’s campaign at the MKO Abiola Democracy Park in Akure, the Ondo state capital on Saturday, Makinde said the Ondo election is not about the Yoruba’s bid for the 2023 presidency.
‘They (APC) said you should vote them because they want Presidency to come to Yoruba land. This election is not about the presidency to Yoruba land. This election is about delivering Eyitayo Jegede and putting Ondo state as part of the states that will lead the charge to restructure Nigeria,’ the Oyo State Governor who is the chairman of the PDP National Campaign Council for the Ondo governorship election said.
He also boasted that the PDP will defeat APC in the October 10 election just as he did in Oyo State in the 2019 gubernatorial election.
‘We have people, and we have God. In Ondo State, you have God and you have people. It happened in Oyo state, it will happen here,’ the Governor said.
Speaking in the same vein, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State asked the people of Ondo State to reject APC, claiming that party is not a choice for them.
Highlight of the event was the presentation of the party’s flag to Jegede by the National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus.
The event was attended by many members and leaders of the party across the country.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK