Makinde: Why Oyo residents voted for Tinubu

Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo state, says he is happy to be part of the process that “redrew the electoral map of Nigeria”.

The governor spoke on Saturday when he was featured on Splash FM’s State Affairs with Desmond Obilo.

He was responding to a question on whom he voted for during the recently concluded presidential election.

Makinde is part of the G5, a group of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors who refused to support and campaign for Atiku Abubakar, their party’s flagbearer, over calls for the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu as the PDP national chairman.

Bola Tinubu, the president-elect, polled 449, 884 votes in the presidential election in Oyo state to defeat Atiku who had 182, 977 votes.

“I supported fairness, justice and equity. I supported a united Nigeria, a Nigeria that gives opportunity to every part of this country,” Makinde said.

Asked if the candidate he is referring to is Tinubu, Makinde replied, “well, if you say so”.

“He (Tinubu) defeated me out there (Makinde’s ward). How do you deliver your ward? You know, you allow people to express themselves. A lot of our people, that is what they decided to do. They decided that look, we want after 8 years of presidency in the north, they want it to come to the south and this place being southwest, one of theirs was a candidate so they supported one of their own.

“When you go into a contest, you have to situate things appropriately. We had a survey before that election; we knew that a lot of our people are agitating for a country where there is fairness, equity and justice. I pointed it out to our party.

“I am glad that I am a part of a process that redrew the electoral map of Nigeria. That arrogance, I believe with the result of last Saturday’s election is basically behind us. Now we know that people will have to seek for alignment. If you want to rule this country, you are not just going to say oh, because I am from a certain part of this country, then that is the only qualification I require to rule this country. Now, you have to build bridges, reach out to others.”

Three of the G5 governors — Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu — lost their senatorial bids during Saturday’s poll.

Asked if he will also “pay the price” with his re-election bid, Makinde said he would choose to do what is right over his political interests.

“Well, that is left to the people of Oyo state. If I have to choose between my political survival and doing what is right and just within the political space in Nigeria, I will choose to forgo my political career,” he said.

The governor, however, expressed confidence that he will be declared winner of the governorship poll while appealing to the people of the state to vote the PDP in all positions.