Despite the absence of the governor, major PDP stakeholders and key supporters were on the ground to rally support for the party flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar during the campaign, who also asked the party supporters to vote for Makinde for a second time in office.
The insinuation was rife that Atiku and Makinde may have settled their rift behind the scene in order to forge a common front in a build-up to the general elections next month.
Atiku during his speech almost confirmed the insinuation as he declared: “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.”
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Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the PDP, who also spoke at the rally ground, praised Makinde for the “successful” campaign in the state.
The Master of the Ceremony, 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 have been resolved, calling on all party members and supporters to re-elect Makinde as Oyo State governor in the March 11, 2023 elections.
It would be recalled that Makinde is one of the aggrieved five governors of the PDP, who is at loggerheads with the party’s national leadership over the continued stay of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as the national chairman of the PDP since the emergence of Atiku as the presidential candidate.
The G-5 has repeatedly called for Ayu’s removal for a Southerner to take over the affairs of the PDP, as a pre-condition for supporting Atiku’s presidential bid.
Oyo State is the first G-5 State where Atiku presidential campaign train has landed and the last South-West state to campaign.
