Chairman of the Oyo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Honourable Dayo Ogungbenro while speaking in an interview on the agitations of aggrieved party members in the state, has asserted that Governor Seyi Makinde is not the stumbling block in achieving reconciliation in the state chapter of the party, asking them to be flexible in their agitations.
The party chairman was quoted saying, “No matter the age of the governor, the governor is the number one citizen of the state whether you like it or not.”
Ogungbenro while responding to some analysis by aggrieved members of the party that Gov. Makinde is not a professional politician, emphasised that Gov. Makinde remains sitting governor of Oyo state and the undisputed leader of the southwest PDP.
“If I may ask, what does that take from Governor ‘Seyi Makinde? If he is not a professional politician and he’s the sitting governor, does that take anything out of the personality of the man? The analysis that Lam Adesina, Ladoja, Alao-Akala won, but Seyi Makinde later won so people are just playing on semantics”, he said.
Ogungbenro continued, “I want to sound it very clear that ‘Seyi Makinde the aspirant is different from ‘Seyi Makinde the candidate, and is quite different from ‘Seyi Makinde the sitting governor.
“With apology to all these aggrieved people in dealing with a sitting governor, we should know how to respect ourselves. It is not every little thing that you take to the pages of newspapers.”
Fielding questions on the recent local government appointments list which was withdrawn by the governor owing to some irregularities, Ogungbenro said, “It is a statement of fact that the list was withdrawn because his excellency wanted to straighten few things. He insisted that all shades of political tendencies in the local government should be involved but there were allegations here and there that some people were not carried along. As a result of this, he decided to withdraw the list to see for himself. I was part of the screening committee and for almost two days, we did not sleep.
“If one out of nine people raises objection, that objection will be listened to. If it is listened to and becomes credible, necessary adjustments will be done. That is what we did to ensure that everybody is carried along in the formation of the local government executives. Just like he promised, we reserved 30 percent for the so-called coalition parties.”
He further noted that politics is essentially about interests, adding that, “The perception of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde being the stumbling block is very wrong. It is wrong in the sense that normally you have to give a sitting governor a chance; you don’t lord it over him.
“Even last Friday, his excellency said publicly at our stakeholders meeting that he is going to meet some of the aggrieved PDP members that day. I gave the analogy that the way you approach an aspirant is different from the way you approach a candidate and different from the way you approach a sitting governor. I have had opportunity to be where our principal invited the aggrieved members, you don’t insist. In politics, it is natural to have ambitions but you don’t put your ambition on concrete because the ambition might not see the light of the day.
“There must be contingency. If you put it on concrete, it might be difficult and that is what is happening. Engineer ‘Seyi Makinde is not a stumbling block in any reconciliatory move.”
He however disclosed that the committee is done with checking the list and any moment from now, the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy matters will release the list for local government excos.
Ogungbenro reaffirmed that, “Politics is essentially about compromise and we cannot move forward without compromise,” adding that Governor ‘Seyi Makinde is performing and the party must be seen to be performing too.
Speaking on the relationship between the party and state government, Ogungbenro described as an aberration, refusal of some political appointees of the present government not to identify with the party that brought in their principal, Gov. Makinde.
He declared that, “It will be my pride as party Chairman that members of the coalition who are presently part of the Makinde government should officially declare themselves as members of the PDP. After two years, you should decide what you want to do, particularly those coalition parties that really cannot win election”.
On 2023 elections, Ogungbenro hinted that the PDP is prepared to rescue Nigeria from the APC, declaring that, “This is the best time the Nigerian masses are yearning for the coming back of the PDP.”
He however stated that Gov. Makinde has disclosed if he would be recontesting in 2023.
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