The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde has unveiled the Executive Chairman, Oyo State Housing Corporation, Bayo Lawal, as his running mate for the 2023 election.
The announcement was made after a series of meetings with stakeholders, leaders and elders of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from the Oke-Ogun region of the state.
The meeting, held at the Presidential Lodge of the State Government House, was attended by former State Party chairmen, Kunmi Mustapha and Micheal Adegbite; incumbent Chairman, Dayo Ogungbenro; Chairman, State Advisory Council, Hosea Agboola; party leaders and elders from the Oke-Ogun region.
The Tuesday’s meeting was a follow-up to an earlier meeting held on Friday at the same venue, where the unveiling was expected to have been announced but the Governor only announced the reabsorption of the party aspirants who resigned to contest party tickets which they failed to secure.
The announcement of the running mate came barely 48hours after the Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan, announced his defection from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Sources hinted that the Tuesday meeting was scheduled to conclude consultation and appease members on the choice of Lawal as Makinde’s running mate in view of other interests also from the same region.
Another source disclosed that prior to the Tuesday meeting with a larger caucus of Oke-Ogun leaders, the governor had earlier met a smaller caucus of the party leaders where Lawal’s name was agreed upon.
Both the incumbent, Olaniyan and the anointed running mate, Lawal, are from the same Irepo local government, Irepo/Oorelope/Olorunsogo federal constituency; while Olaniyan hails from Igboho, Lawal is from Kishi.
Other Oke-Ogun PDP leaders present at the meeting include: Michael Adegbite (Iwajowa); Jimoh Adediran (Irepo); Ali Oyedeji (Kajola); Jacob Adetoro (Olorunsogo); Kunmi Mustapha (Iseyin); Hosea Agboola (Itesiwaju); Yakub Oladoja (Oorelope); Siju Lawal (Saki East).
The list also has Amidu Gbadamosi, Adeniyi Adebisi, Gbenga Babalola, Niyi Farinto, Nasiru Salam, Agada Isaac, Alidodo Oyedeji among others in attendance.
In their separate interviews with reporters, both Michael Adegbite and Gbenga Babalola lauded Governor Makinde for ensuring that his running mate for the 2023 election also emerges from the same Oke-Ogun zone as the incumbent, Rauf Olaniyan.
Also speaking, the duo of the incumbent Chairman, Dayo Ogungbenro and his predecessor, Kunmi Mustapha, said; ” it was imperative that a new running mate emerges for the Governor, owing to the defection of Olaniyan to the APC.”
Ogungbenro stated: “The exigency of the period demands that the governor consults with our leaders and the outcome of the consultation is that Barrister Bayo Lawal from Irepo, Kisi local government will replace the deputy governor, Rauf Olaniyan. We do not want to allow vacuum since Olaniyan has left.”
Reacting to his selection, Bayo Lawal, said he was overwhelmingly accepted as none of the party leaders opposed his nomination at Tuesday’s meeting, pleading with party leaders in the Oke-Ogun zone and across the state to give maximum cooperation to the Makinde administration.
Lawal said: “It is an honour and privilege to run with His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde. I am not taking it lightly but with all seriousness. A lot of consultations has gone into choosing me as running mate. His considerations are many but he singled me out replacing his running mate for 2023 from the same constituency to which the deputy governor has been zoned.”
Mercy Chukwudiebere
