The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oyo state chapter, has praised the people of the state for standing by and supporting the Governor Seyi Makinde-led government in what it described as a very challenging year 2020.

PDP, in a statement co-signed by the chairman, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha, the state secretary, Alhaji Wasiu Adeleke, and the state publicity secretary, Engr Akeem Olatunji, said year 2020 was a year that will linger in the minds of many for a long time because of its peculiar challenges.

According to Alhaji Mustapha in the statement, Nigeria and particularly Oyo state have never experienced the kind of turbulent year 2020 presented which disrupted every facet of human life.

He added that the state government under the leadership of Governor Makinde against all odds from opposition parties with various unwarranted vituperations, unwanted provocative statements, and deliberate attempt to distract the governor from accomplishing his agenda had adopted quite a unique approach to tackle COVID-19 and EndSARS which was described as ‘the twin monsters’ of 2020.

“The Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo state sincerely appreciates and celebrate the good people of the state for their resilience and Will power to surmount every challenge collectively as a people, indeed, we are marvelled and very proud at this show of tenacity by the people.

“Last year 2020 was a year that can best be described as a test on leadership and administration skills of any political leader especially those in power which is why our absolute faith, trust, and unalloyed support remain with our ‘God Sent Man’ Engr Seyi Makinde

“There is no gainsaying that no government can succeed without the support of the people who must also trust their governor with their destinies within a period of time therefore, the support the PDP government has continued to enjoy from the good people of the state is no doubt a clear show of love, trust, and support which is evident in the recorded success so far.

“It is so disheartening to see the crop of people parading themselves as politicians in the opposition parties these days, they can best be described as political businessmen and women who can trade anything just to gain power to self aggrandize and oppress the less privileged members of the society.

“In the heat of the COVID-19 pandemic during the first wave, most of the states in Nigeria including all the other 5 south west states without recourse to individual states peculiarities embarked on copy paste policy of the FG, went on total lockdown increased the rate of suicide tendencies in the face of hunger and increased poverty.

“But Seyi Makinde in his wisdom and administration acumen adopted partial lockdown policy which enraged amateurs in politics leading to deliberate media campaign against Makinde led government just because Oyo state refused to join the bandwagon.

“Going by their seemingly endless vituperations and castigation on radios and various online news media, one would have expected that casualties from the pandemic would have greatly decline across all the states under total lockdown and increased casualties in Oyo state for adopting partial lockdown for economic reasons.

“Unfortunately for their sheer ignorance, Oyo state became one of the states with better COVID-19 management with consistent decline in the rate of casualty. This would ordinarily make politician with decorum at least, to bury his head in shame for attacking a commendable effort of governor Makinde in his strides to combating the pandemic.

“Just when Oyo state was trying to breathe from the success of COVID-19 management, EndSARS brought the entire country to its knee as a result of insensitivity of the federal government to the plight of the Nigerian youths, and Makinde again, deployed an empathetic move to not only join the youths on the streets in solidarity but also engaged them in productive discussions which brought about restoration of peace to the state ahead other states in Nigeria.

“Migration to E-Government by the Seyi Makinde led government as a key strategy to combat COVID-19 has become great attraction by other states as they now duplicate and replicate Makinde’s template in their various states, Ogun state under the APC is the most recent to adopt Makinde’s template for E-Government.

“It is a great thing of joy and pride to us in Oyo state PDP to be blessed with GSM who many now refer to as the Awolowo of this generation to have bagged the BEST PERFORMED GOVERNOR in Nigeria in year 2020 barely 18 months in office as governor.

“On behalf of the Oyo state PDP executives, we appeal to all party leaders who feel aggrieved for one reason or the other to sheath their sword and embrace peace because it is only a united house that can surmount the enemy. We are not unmindful that some grievances are legitimate while others are product of high hopes and over expectation within a very short time of regaining power in the state but we will all smile in shortest due time possible as the governor is daily busy creating opportunities.

“The world knows Makinde as a man with few words with greater actions therefore, our leaders should continue to be role models for younger breeds of politicians while we allow our detractors in the oppositions to continue playing their opposition role but they are reminded to play the role which the Oyo masses saddled them with the slightest sense of honesty and decorum at the very least that is if they refuse to repent from propagating falsehood while we continue impacting lives positively and repositioning Oyo for greater economic prosperity”, the statement read.