LIn this brief interview with OYOINSIGHT.COM, immediate past lawmaker representing Oyo East/Oyo West state constituency revealed that he and others met Governor Seyi Makinde on the need to be and not about defection to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from the African Democratic Congress, ADC, where he sought re-election in the 2019 election. Excerpts:
What did you discuss with Governor Seyi Makinde when you met him?
The ADC stalwarts in Oyo federal constituency ventilated their grievances of near neglect to people who are very close to Governor Makinde. They included the chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Council, Senator Hosea Agboola and prominent appointees of Oyo extraction in his administration led by the Chief of Staff, Chief Oyebisi Ilaka.
The meeting, was not a decamping exercise but the culmination of the efforts of Senator Agboola and the Ilaka-led Oyo caucus. The Governor hosted a wonderful meeting where he patiently listened to our grievances as people who gave 100 percent to his emergence as governor. You will recall that the moment Senator Lanlehin stepped down, many ADC members including myself as the ADC’s House of Assembly candidate for Oyo East/Oyo West State Constituency whole-heartedly accepted to campaign for Engineer Seyi Makinde, as then he was the PDP governorship candidate. As ADC candidate, I attended the PDP general meeting in Oyo East four days to election and in the full glare of the public, I spoke to adopt Engr. Seyi Makinde as the governorship candidate my supporters should vote for.
Given that background, would you say I am a stranger to the political team that birthed Engr. Seyi Makinde as governor? Rather than describe meeting with the governor as decamping, it should rather be described as what it truly is. Governor Makinde gave firm commitment to address our grievances while looking forward to more cordial, inclusive and beneficial relationship with us.
But did he ask you to defect…?
I think Governor Makinde has been cerebral enough not to insist on official decamping to PDP before allowing certain coalition partners to contribute their quota to the delivery of good governance in Oyo State. Has Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun joined the PDP while serving as commissioner? Has Barr. Temi Ashamu decamped to PDP? In fact, non of the appointees extracted from the coalition partners has formally joined the PDP.
Would you defect If the governor fulfills some of the promises
I think Governor Makinde has done the needful by engaging us personally. He spoke brilliantly and I think he is committed to acknowledge our contributions to his electoral success.
The fulfillment of that commitment will be the precursor to escalating the cordial and beneficial relationship to something higher up as decamping to the PDP. There are still lots of I’s to be dotted and T’s to be crossed.
