Ime Akpan
The G5 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) congregated in Ibadan, Oyo State, for the kickoff of the second term campaign of the governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde but failed to name the presidential candidate they would support in the February 25 election.
The G5 led by the governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike with Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Makinde as members.
They have issues with the leadership of the party led by its national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.
The aggrieved gPDP governors want Ayu to vacate his position for the emergence of a southerner to correct regional imbalance in the PDP since the party’ presidential candidate, Mr. Atiku Abubakar and the chairman are both northerners.
The G5 governors, who were appointed into the PDP presidential campaign council, withdrew their membership and boycotted its inauguration and vowed to support a different presidential candidate.
However, addressing thousands of PDP faithful who gathered in Mapo Hall yesterday for Makinde’s re-election rally tagged ‘Omituntun 2.0: Sustainable Development’ the governors got cold feet as each of them who spoke failed to tell the party’s supporters the presidential candidate to vote for on February 15.
They took turns to extol the virtues of Makinde and lauded his efforts at developing and repositioning Oyo State.
They did not mention Atiku or any other party presidential candidate in their remarks.
They charged the electorates in the state to elect all candidates of the PDP from the governor to the national assembly and the house of assembly members.
In his speech, Ortom said the gPDP governors would make their decision on the presidential election at the right time.
He blamed the crisis in the PDP to leadership failure.
“We have challenges with our national leadership. They have failed to resolve the internal crisis in the party arising from the party’s national convention. We shall make our resolve on this known at the appropriate time,” he said.
He charged the electorate to re-elect Makinde on March 11, 2023 for according to him, the governor has done well in the past three years and seven months.
“Today (yesterday), we are here to join our friend and brother for the flag off of his reelection campaign. Gov Makinde has been a consistent PDP member like all of us. We thank the people of Oyo State for supporting him and it is our hope that come 2023 general elections, Oyo state will deliver Gov Makinde,” Ortom added.
Wike, for his part, enjoined the Oyo electorate to await the directive of the governor on who to vote for the February 25 presidential election.
He urged the people to appreciate Makinde by re-electing him.
In his speech, Makinde highlighted some of the key achievements of his administration to include jerking up the state’s internally generated revenue from about N1.7 billion to N3.8 billion as at November ending and promised to do more for Oyo state and its people if re-elected.
Others are free and qualitative education; the sole ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso and 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,” he said.
Makinde further disclosed that his administration had scrapped the N3, 000 education levy, commenced payment of full salaries and pensions to workers and retirees on or before the 25th of every month, a date now known as the ‘GSM Date’.
He added: “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.
My second term will be towards total socio-economic upgrade in the state. This is formally known as the Omituntun 2.0, a sustainable development.”
Highlight of the event was the official presentation of PDP flag to the governor and all other candidates on the platform of the party in the forthcoming general elections.
The event was attended by the deputy governor and Makinde’s running mate, Mr. Bayo Lawal; a former governor of the state, Mr. Hamid Gbadamosi; chairman of the Oyo State Advisory Council, Mr. Hosea Agboola, former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Ms Monsura Sunmonu, secretary to the state government, Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun, chief of staff to the governor, Mr. Segun Ogunwuyi, former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mrs.Jumoke Akinjide, and former governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose, among others.
