2023: Oyo Deputy Governor congratulates Governor Makinde’s running mate

#ElectionBuzzNig’23

The Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Rauf Olaniyan, has congratulated his kinsman, Barrister Bayo Lawal, on his (Lawal’s) selection as the running mate of Governor Seyi Makinde at the 2023 election.

Olaniyan, who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), said he holds no animosity against Lawal, adding that he (Lawal) would always remain his elder brother and kinsman, come what may.

He reiterated he would continue to hold Governor Makinde in high esteem and not allow anything to cause a personal rift between them.

Saying his passion and commitment to serving the people of the state remains constant, but he won’t fight anyone to occupy a public office.

The Deputy Governor had, on Sunday, at a news conference, made a public declaration of the political switch, as many people had alleged what could be described as years of ‘differences’ between himself and Governor Makinde.

However, at the news conference, Olaniyan had affirmed that he remained the Deputy Governor of Oyo State on a tenure that would lapse on May 28, 2023, having won the election with Governor Seyi Makinde and sworn-in on May 29, 2019.

He maintained that, by defection to the APC, he had violated no section of the Nigerian Constitution, as issues arising from similar episodes had been decided in various courts of competent jurisdiction in the land, including the High, Appeal, and even Supreme courts.

To date, Olaniyan has not made public if he is pursuing any political ambition in 2023.

Governor Makinde persuaded him in 2018 to be his running mate in the 2019 election that was won on the platform of the PDP.

Before joining Makinde in the umbrella party, Olaniyan was a leading governorship aspirant on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) platform, the party he joined after leaving the APC; when the party clarified that they would not zone the governorship ticket to the Oke Ogun region where he hails.

Suzan O.