Yesterday, Thursday 5th of March, 2027, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, yet again, entertained the public through another of his unguarded speeches. It was during an Iftar program at the Government House.
Governor Makinde used that occasion to double down on a previous promise that he would unveil his anointed successor by January of 2026. Having failed to keep up with that date, our entertaining Governor opened a floodgate and asked everyone who is interested in succeeding him to bring out their Billboards!
Billboards, you asked? Yes. Governor Makinde directed anyone who is interested in succeeding him under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to bring out their Billboards. I saw a video of the Governor’s speech and I equally read reports of the speech and watching him, trying hard to exhume confidence, I pitied him a lot.
This is not the Governor Seyi Makinde of a couple of years ago. Even the swag is no longer there. Let us ask ourselves, does Billboards make a gubernatorial candidate? Is it that Governor Makinde is truly not aware of the several Billboards of gubernatorial aspirants under his party, scattered all over the state?
What exactly is troubling Governor Makinde? Is a civil war already brewing within his camp?
Are people beginning to grumble and the grumblings becoming louder to the extent that the echoes are getting to the Governor’s ears? When Governor Makinde started boasting that he would be the one to announce his successor, to the extent that he even set a precise time for the announcement, with the expected age of the would be successor even pegged, I knew he just walked into a trap.
I called his attention to that grave error at that time but his olentelafas abused the hell out of me. Imagine the avoidable turmoil the Governor has brought into his already unsettled empire now. I kept saying that Governor Seyi Makinde needs a break but no one is taking me serious.
How many days do we have before the commencement of party primaries and final submissions of party candidates for elective positions to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC?
Where was Governor Seyi Makinde all these while that he is just waking up to say, oh, you people who are desirous of succeeding me, I’m no longer holding you down, bring out your Billboards? The same Governor Makinde who was emphatic about the fact that he would be the one to name his successor?
Governor Seyi Makinde must be honest and responsible, at least, for once. He must accept responsibilities for holding everyone who have gubernatorial ambitions within the PDP down until yesterday.
His declaration that he was going to unveil his successor by January of 2026 is a caveat. Now that he has failed to fulfill that promise, I expected him to be humble enough to accept responsibilities for holding them down.
I am so surprised that he was also talking about loyalty to Oyo state being a consideration for the selection of his successor! How would he determine which of the aspirants is loyal to Oyo state in this commotion? If he hasn’t seen any of them who is loyal to Oyo state until January of 2026, is it now that he is going to see one?
With due respect to the Governor, I can see confusion all over him. I was amused when I saw him tactically trying to blame his shortcomings in this matter on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and the president. I am also surprised that Governor Makinde is saying that he is still confused as to the genuine document that would guide the election of 2027.
According to him, there are two versions of the Electoral Act but he added, ” if it is true”. So, our Governor didn’t do due diligence before making such an outrageous comment? I can see that he also played for sympathy by saying that people should help them appeal to those in charge to let them know which rules they are playing with.
Haba! Governor Makinde!!
Ok, I will make it simple for you sir. Please, ask members of the House of Representatives in your party to oblige you with the soft copy of the approved Electoral Act.
At least you still have a handful of them. It is that simple. Even, this little me, I already have a soft copy of the document. I will assume that the Governor doesn’t know that he could get a copy of the document through members of the House of Representatives or Senate.
Better still, Governor Makinde, approach INEC. I am sure you would be obliged a copy of the document. Before I round up, I want to comment on Governor Makinde’s opinion about the PDP. My advice for whosoever is still trapped inside Governor Makinde’s side of the PDP is simple, run for your life.
It is easier for Governor Makinde to ask you to erect Billboards with PDP logo. He has fulfilled his desires to be the Governor of Oyo state. Conduct of party primaries and submissions of candidates have been fixed for 23rd of April and 30th of May, 2026.
Any political appointee who is desirous of contesting for elective positions must have resigned from his position 30 days before the commencement of party primaries.
Yet, Governor Makinde says he is still confused as to what the Electoral Act is but is asking you to go and be erecting Billboards with PDP logo. When he asked you to do that, he said he had some things inside of him which he didn’t say out.
Presently, he, Governor Seyi Makinde stands expelled from the PDP. The National Working Committee, NWC loyal to him are not recognized by the INEC. The Appeals in respect of the leadership tussles are pending before the Court of Appeal Abuja Division.
Today, the INEC has recognized the Nyesom Wike faction of the PDP in obedience to the judgment of the Federal High Court in Ibadan. Yet, in the midst of this confusion, someone is asking you to erect Billboards with PDP logo!
Only a zombie would take such words serious. Why don’t you ask him to also go and erect his Billboards with PDP logo for the presidency or, is he no longer interested in the contest? A word is enough for the wise.
Governor Makinde cut a very pitiable sight yesterday when he was asking people to appeal to those in charge of election in Nigeria. Did he consider that he could be in this kind of helpless situation when he was doing whatever pleased him with the Oyo state Independent Electoral Commission, OYSIEC Law?
Ah, times and tides. ( Igba laso, Igba lewu, Igba ni odere koko nle Ilorin). Believe me, even time and circumstances are no longer working for Governor Makinde.
Now that the general election have been fixed for January and February, 2027, may I ask, Y. E, how far with your planned Local Government election?
Ha! I want to sing. ( Tiwa naa lo de e o fara moo, igba ti tiyin de e nsojika, tiwa naa lo de e o fara moo).
The copyright for the music above belongs to Governor Oluwaseyi Abiodun, Omo Makinde.
Sola Abegunde.
