Chairman of Atiku Campaign Committee in Oyo state and former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Elder Wole Oyelese, has declared that Governor Seyi Makinde is only speaking for himself with his comments on the chances of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in the 2023 general elections.
Elder Oyelese in an interview with journalists in Ibadan on Wednesday declared that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will conveniently win the presidential election in Oyo state with or without the support of Governor Makinde.
The former minister emphasized that it was wrong for Governor Makinde to be saying on a live programme that he may not support the PDP Presidential candidate in the coming general elections and only be campaigning for his own reelection.
Faulting the governor’s position on not supporting Alhaji Atiku Abubakar presidential ambition, the PDP leader in Oyo state, said Governor Makinde is “new in Oyo state PDP” to be saying such a thing.
“A good politician would not speak like that. For Makinde to say he would not work for Atiku doesn’t mean anything. He is on his own! It is an empty threat! If he said we should not vote for Atiku, who are we voting for? We are too sophisticated for that in Oyo state”, he said
“Makinde is a new comer in Oyo state politics but we shall continue to work for our party. However, we are working for Atiku in a special way. My advise for any politician who wants to win in Oyo state is to come to mainstream. Mainstream is the leadership of the party in the state”.
On the presence of the Oyo state deputy governor in Akure during the Afenifere leaders parley with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Elder Oyelese said, “What is the position of Yoruba on this matter that Makinde is talking about? We don’t have a position. Fasoranti is saying something and baba Adebanjo is saying another thing. We are not having a position in Yorubaland. Our members will remain steadfast and committed. This is our party and we cannot allow it to breakdown.”
“It will be wrong for Governor Makinde to be saying he may not support Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the presidential election based on some reason and that he will be campaigning for his reelection alone. That is nothing but an empty political threat which cannot stand,” he said.
Elder Oyelese maintained that even in his 2019 election, it was some PDP leaders that worked day and night for him to emerged as the governor, saying, ” how can he be saying that, it is just am empty threat from him”.