Oyo State Governor Explains Cause of Delay in Campaign Flag off

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has explained why the ruling People’s Democratic Party PDP in the state delayed the flag-off of his re-election campaign, following the lifting of the ban on the campaign by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The governor disclosed that the need to resolve all internal wrangling and crisis that had been rocking the party, particularly those that arose from the party congress and primaries, were major factors being worked on.

Makinde disclosed this during a Consultative and Town Hall meeting with party stakeholders in Oyo Federal Constituency, held at the Atiba Hall, Oyo, where he urged the electorate to vote for candidates of the party in the forthcoming general elections, assuring that all differences in the party in the zone of the state had been resolved.

He stated: “The Consultative Meeting and the Town Hall meeting for our 2023 campaign are what we have started in Oyo. I want to tell you that the way you supported us in 2019 is the same way we want you to aggressively work for us for the 2023 election. The Omituntun 1.0 we started in 2019 will get terminated in May 2023 and we will begin Omituntun 2.0 by then and end it in 2027.”

The governor asserted that the PDP had become stronger in the Oyo Federal Constituency following the resolution of the internal wrangling among its members, expressing optimism that the party would win all elections in the zone, as according to him, he had fulfilled over 80 percent of his campaign promises to the zone.

Makinde said all the aggrieved members of the party in the constituency had been reconciled so that it could go into the general elections as a united family, adding that if he is re-elected, there would be an upgrade of good governance, hence the campaign theme, Omituntun 2.0 and charged all residents and indigenes of Oyo State to vote for all candidates of the PDP in the 2023 general elections.

Governor Makinde equally used the opportunity to announce a refund of the nomination fees of all PDP aspirants for National and State House of Assembly positions in Oyo Zone, adding that a similar gesture would be extended to all PDP aspirants across the state.

He noted, “I know that we have done a lot of projects we promised during our electioneering for the 2019 election. At least, 80 percent has been actualised but a few things are yet to be done because no system is perfect.

 “So, why we want to hold the Town Hall meeting is to make sure you speak where you feel the attention of the government is needed and we will listen to you. We would go back to our manifesto, the Roadmap for Sustainable Development, 2023-2027, where we have our programmes and policies for the next administration, to ensure that we incorporate whatever you tell us here,” the governor declared.

Makinde also reeled out the achievements of his government in the Oyo Zone including; the building of the ultramodern Akesan Market; the construction of Gedu-Oroki-Sabo Road; the renovation and equipment of Primary Health Care Centres and the Light-up Oyo Project, among others.

He later led a house-to-house campaign in Oyo Town, where he canvassed residents of the historic town to support his party and its candidates in the coming elections.

The Town Hall meeting had in attendance all the party leaders and stakeholders in Oyo Zone, as well as all the party’s standard-bearers for the National and House of Assembly elections.

Dominica Nwabufo