More than 24 hours after the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 election in Oyo south was appointed by President Bola Tinubu as director general of Nigeria-China Partnership, ‘Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo State, has not issued a public congratulatory message to the finance expert.
OYOINSIGHT.COM also understands that the camp of the PDP is in confusion over how the Ibadan Mogaji got the appointment. Many chieftains of the ruling party are even afraid to issue open congratulatory letter and statement.
Tegbe’s apointment came 7 weeks after he and the two other PDP senatorial candidates— Oyebisi Ilaka (central) and Akinwale Akinwole, met in Ibadan to discuss their future owing to the non-inclusion in whatever Makinde does. Termed strategic meeting, details of the meeting, which was held behind closed door, was not made public but it was later revealed that it was necessitated following complaints by their supporters of not being considered for any elective post during the local government election and appointments either at the state of local government.
It would be recalled that Makinde, after failure to secure appointments for his men in the Tinubu government, has been critical of the president in recent times. He had subtly jabbed Tinubu in his recently weekly newsletter.
Makinde, OYOINSIGHT.COM also recalled, had had his nomination for ministerial appointment of a former finance commissioner under late Abiola Ajimobi administration rejected. This, this newspaper, was so because he failed to follow instruction that the nominee must be a woman or someone from outside the state capital.
Minutes after the appointment of Tegbe, close aides of the governor had expressed fear as the appointment came at a time the governor is not in the good book of Mr. President.
Though unconfirmed, a presidential source told OYOINSIGHT.COM that against claim that Makinde supported Tinubu aspiration in the 2023 election, it was Tinubu’s men who actually saved Makinde from defeat. “He had to call then Rivers governor Nyesom Wike to wade in when Tinubu, who was then the APC candidate, was no longer entertaining call ahead of the election. In fact, there was no promise of ministerial slot. It was Wike who was appealing to the president’s men to consider Makinde and others so that it won’t look that he was the only one enjoying the deal.”
OYOINSIGHT.COM also learnt that since Makinde emerged victorious in the 2023 election, he has amassed more enemies. “Where is Senator Hosea Agboola? Where is Bisi Ilaka? Where is Hon. Kameel Akinlabi? Where is Hon. Babatunde Oduyoye? Remember Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, Alhaja Mulikat Akande? Where is Alhaja Bose Adedibu? Most of the former assembly members as well as council chairmen who were not returned are no longer with him. They are waiting for the right time to strike?. Hon. Shina Peller faces stiff opposition in his bid to fly the PDP flag in Oyo north. There is an army chief from Saki that the governor is considering. He had approached a serving three-term All Progressives Congress, APC, rep member to join. That one told him to wait as three years is a long time. The governor had to use a former secretary to the state government, now late, to ‘toast’ the man again and he still rejected it. I can also confirm that some APC reps members are in bed with him. But they will be served their ‘breakfast’ as Makinde is not known for honoring agreement.”
The source continues: “Where is Dotun Sanusi who worked for his re-election? The man may not be angry but his people are. The man doesn’t need anything from him but his people felt he ditched the man. He made Mukaila Lamidi what he later became. Can you compare how late Ajimobi handled late Taofeek Oyerinde Fele with how Makinde mishandled Auxilliary?. Events will be unfolding in the next few months. We have lost Tegbe to where he came from.”
