Politics
Oyo PDP hails residents, says despite 2020 challenges state on path of economic prosperity
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.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday held a high-level strategic meeting with the Oyo State chapter of the party as part of efforts to reposition the APC for victory and prevent internal crisis ahead of the polls.
The development was first scooped by OYOINSIGHT.COM which quoted multiple party sources familiar with the closed-door deliberations.
Sources disclosed that the meeting, held in Abuja, focused largely on a consensus arrangement being considered by stakeholders of the party in Oyo State, in line with political templates reportedly being adopted in Lagos and Ogun states ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Party insiders said the move was aimed at strengthening unity within the fold of the opposition party in the state, minimising rancour during the primaries and presenting a formidable front against rival parties in 2027.
It was further gathered that some members of the state executive committee may have been subtly informed about preferred consensus candidates being considered for elective positions across the state.
Though details of the deliberations were still sketchy as of press time, sources hinted that the national leadership stressed the need for cohesion, discipline and strategic alignment among stakeholders to improve the party’s electoral fortunes in Oyo.
Those at the meeting included the Oyo APC Chairman, Moses Alake Adeyemo; the state secretary, Fatai Adesina Adeniyi; the Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare; the Organising Secretary, Aderemi Adepoju; and the Legal Adviser, Sunday Aborisade.
Others were the Women Leader, Adekemi Opatunde; the Youth Leader, Olalekan Oladejo; Joshua Oyebamiji; Tunde Oloyede; Sunday Babalola; Joseph Omoniyi; and Mojeed Adebayo.
As of the time of filing this report, the party had yet to issue an official statement on the outcome of the meeting.
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, on Monday assured aspirants and party members that the party would conduct transparent, peaceful and credible direct primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Adeyemo declared that no aspirant would be victimised or denied a level playing field, stressing that the party leadership remained committed to internal democracy and progressive ideals.
The former deputy governor spoke while receiving members of the APC Screening and Appeal Committees deployed from the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja at the APC Secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan.
He disclosed that although the party initially explored consensus arrangements across elective positions, prevailing realities indicated that direct primaries would be conducted in some areas, including the governorship contest.
Adeyemo said the party had already put necessary structures in place to ensure a hitch-free exercise capable of strengthening unity within the APC.
He said: “We set machineries in motion for us to achieve the aim of consensus across board but reports available to me indicate that we would have to go by the second option which is direct primary in certain cases including the governorship ticket.
“To this end, we shall work towards organising free, fair and credible exercise in all the affected areas even as we cannot rule out the possibility of some aspirants having a rethink and supporting the consensus arrangement as necessary.
“Where we have more than an aspirant, Abuja would send people to conduct primaries and we at the state level would provide the required support to make everything work out in the interest of our great party.”
The APC chairman explained that all registered party members would participate fully in the exercise at their respective wards on dates to be announced by the National Secretariat.
According to him, affirmation would be adopted in areas where consensus candidates emerge, while voting would be conducted wherever direct primaries become necessary.
“For consensus, members will lend their voices for affirmation while voting will be done in the cases of direct primary,” he added.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Screening Committee and former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Taofiq AbdusSalam, assured party faithful that the committee would carry out a thorough, transparent and unbiased screening process.
He said only eligible aspirants would be cleared to participate in the primaries and eventually fly the APC flag in the forthcoming elections.
Other members of the Screening Committee are Kamal Sanusi (Secretary), Smart Oluwole, Tunde Kolade and Olabamiji Agunloye.
Members of the Screening Appeal Committee are Jibola Oduwole (Chairman), Abimbola Jack (Secretary) and Jelil Jimoh.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress on Saturday zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria, declaring that the party’s candidate would serve a single four-year term if elected.
The decision was reached during the party’s national convention held in Abuja amid growing momentum within the opposition platform following a wave of high-profile defections from other political parties.
Announcing the development on its official social media handle, the party stated, “NDC presidential ticket is zoned to the South!!”
The party also resolved that its 2031 presidential ticket would be ceded to Northern Nigeria as part of efforts to maintain regional balance and internal equity.
The convention comes as key opposition figures, including former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former New Nigeria People’s Party presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, joined party leaders and delegates at the Abuja gathering.
Saturday’s convention is expected to ratify several recent decisions taken by the party’s National Executive Committee, including zoning arrangements, amendments to the party constitution, and the election of new national executives.
According to the convention agenda obtained by journalists, discussions centred on zoning, ratification of the amended constitution, and leadership restructuring ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The NDC has in recent weeks witnessed a surge in defections from rival opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
On Tuesday, no fewer than 17 members of the House of Representatives defected from the ADC to the NDC.
Their defections were formally announced during plenary at the House of Representatives.
The lawmakers include Yusuf Datti, Uchenna Okonkwo, Adamu Wakili, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Aniekwe, Mukhtar Zakari, George Oluwande and Munachim Umezuruike.
Others are Emeka Idu, Jesse Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene, Murphy Omoruyi and Abdulhakeem Ado.
The defections came barely two days after Obi and Kwankwaso formally joined the NDC from the ADC.
The duo were presented with the party’s membership cards last Sunday shortly after a closed-door meeting with party leaders.
A former Governor of Bayelsa State and NDC national leader, Seriake Dickson, officially welcomed the opposition figures into the party.
Obi had attributed his exit from the ADC to worsening internal crises, external interference and what he described as increasing hostility within party structures.
The former Anambra State governor said Nigeria’s political environment had become increasingly toxic, marked by intimidation, insecurity and sustained scrutiny of opposition figures.
He also lamented that institutions meant to protect citizens were now often deployed against them, while individuals committed to genuine public service faced mounting pressure both publicly and privately.
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