Seyi Makinde : Hoisting The PDP Flag Again As He Returns To The Party In Oyo State
The Oasis Reporters
September 5, 2017
Engr. Seyi Makinde who was within grasps of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP gubernatorial ticket in Oyo State, 2015, but was outmanoeuvred due to godfatherism has returned to the party and his erstwhile Social Democratic Party, SDP flag has been lowered in his campaign organization headquarters on Iwo road, Ibadan.
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Alhaji Adebisi Olopoenia, has described Engineer Seyi Makinde’s return to the PDP fold as a welcome development and the best thing to happen to the PDP family in the state.
“I want to congratulate Engineer Seyi Makinde and also welcome him back to the family. I believe his return to the party will usher in greater achievements for the party in the political landscape of Oyo State.”
Makinde, a candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2015 governorship election in Oyo State, announced his return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday.
He made this declaration known in a press statement released by his Media office at Omi Titun headquarters in Ibadan on Monday.
His declaration followed a recent visit of the National Caretaker Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi to Oyo State.
Makinde said in the release: “Following deep and wide consultations with national leaders. Oyo State leaders and elders of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and cross sections of strategic partners within Oyo State, I hereby announce my defection alongside entire Omi Titun campaign structures in the 33 local governments areas of Oyo State to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”
He noted that the development is not primarily meant to pursue his personal ambition but was largely informed by the resolution of all opposition parties in the state as contained in a recent communique signed by leaders of opposition parties to work together in Oyo State so as to find lasting solutions to myriad of challenges facing Oyo State citizens.
According to him, such challenges include educational dysfunction and perennial failure, social and economic woes and lack of adequate security which he said are outcomes and consequences of the ineffective six years of the All Progressives Congress (APC) rule in the state.
Makinde listed the challenges as “Educational dysfunction and perennial failure, social and economic woes and lack of adequate security – all which are outcomes and consequences of the ineffective six years of the All Progressives Congress rule in our state.”
He said he “is ready to proffer long lasting and far reaching solutions to salvage Oyo state from imminent collapse and needless crises that the current government has bestowed on our people.”
Makinde, therefore, said he is ready to proffer long lasting and far reaching solutions to salvage Oyo State from imminent collapse and needless crises that the current government has bestowed on the Oyo State people if given the mandate to serve them.
The young and ebullient rich business tycoon had done so much for the party and for the youths of Oyo state, awarding bursaries to thousands of students including helping the elderly, but was edged out in the last of several primaries in 2015 where he was expected to win.
He left to pursue his dream in a relatively unknown party, the SDP, which he brought to limelight.
He was among the many ex PDP members who ran against the incumbent governor, Abiola Ajimobi and they all lost to him.
With the unity tour to lure aggrieved party men back to the party fold embarked upon by Ahmed Makarfi, the PDP chairman, the ruling APC in the state would have a formidable opposition to contend with. Especially as Abiola Ajimobi is on his last term.
Tribune and in-house analysis.
