Atiku, other PDP leaders at Ibadan rally, indicate rift with Makinde over

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde was absent on Thursday at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign rally in Ibadan, the state capital.

But major PDP stakeholders in the state attended the rally with key supporters of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, asking party members and supporters to vote Governor Makinde for a second term in office.

Many of those who spoke ai the Ibadan rally including Atiku gave the impression that the rift between the governor and the PDP presidential candidate had been resolved behind the scene in order to forge a common front ahead of the upcoming general elections next month.

Spokesman for the Atiku campaign group, Senator Dino Melaye; director-general of the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Council and Sokoto State governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and wife of the presidential candidate, Hajia Amina Titi Atiku Abubakar, among others, said the political differences between Atiku and Makinde had been resolved.

They called on all party members and supporters to re-elect Makinde as Oyo State governor in the March 11, 2023 elections and vote for Atiku at presidential election on February 25, 2023.

Makinde is a member of the PDP G5 — a group of five governors who have been absent from Abubakar’s campaign rallies.

Other four governors in the group are Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Samuel Ortom of Benue, and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia.

They are demanding the resignation of Ayu as the party’s national chairman.

Speaking at Thursday’s rally, Atiku said, “The people of Oyo State — let me use this opportunity again to commend Governor Makinde and the PDP in Oyo State for making sure that this rally is well organised and well-orchestrated,” Abubakar said.

Ayu, who also spoke at the rally, praised Makinde for the “successful” campaign in the state.