Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde has urged members of his team and political family to remain united to ensure the continued development of Oyo State beyond 2027.
- +Makinde calls for unity to guarantee Oyo’s continued development
Makinde gave the advice during a meeting with political stakeholders in Ibadan on Friday.
Makinde gave the advice during a meeting with political stakeholders in Ibadan on Friday.
According to a statement released on Saturday in Ibadan by his Special Adviser on Media, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the governor called on party leaders, stakeholders, and especially candidates and aspirants for various elective offices in 2027 to remain united for the continuation of what he described as the achievements of his administration since 2019.
He said that while some people have been praising him for raising governance standards in the state, the achievements should be credited to the collective efforts of his team.
Makinde cautioned against allowing political ambitions to divide the group, noting that the 51 elective positions in the general elections can only be occupied by a few individuals who would still require collective support to succeed.
He said the engagement with stakeholders would be a continuous exercise, adding that the people of the state had tasked his team with selecting credible candidates capable of sustaining the administration’s programmes.
He also expressed confidence that the team would deliver electoral success in 2027 as it did in 2019 and 2023, but warned that unity must be maintained to avoid disruption.
Makinde said the period called for peacebuilding and the avoidance of actions that could be influenced by misinformation and disinformation.
He added that his administration was grateful to God and the people of the state for the opportunity to serve, noting that one of its achievements was the peaceful conduct of party congresses and candidate selection processes over the past seven years.
The governor said: “It has been a tough period for us, politically. When the Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin, was talking, he said that I am the best governor, but I will say no. It is the team.
“For me, there must not be any division, so that the state people can reap further the benefits of this team. Only one person can occupy a position at any one time. Apart from the positions at the local government levels, the elective positions for the 2027 general elections are 51. That means 51 people out of a population of about 10 million.
“So, no matter how we look at it, we must be thankful to God, and we must be grateful to the people of the state for giving us the opportunity to serve them.
“So, I just want to appeal that this team must be together, and it must continue the good work we have started for the benefit of the people of the state.
“It is only God that places one in position. My own political ambition from the beginning was to be a Senator, but I became the governor because God’s will for a man is the ultimate. So, it is important that we must watch out for one another and be our brother’s keeper.
“What the people of the state are saying now is that they want continuity of this administration. They are saying ‘let the team be together and we will deliver you, regardless of the party platform you want to use to contest.
“We must keep the team together and we will continue with the engagement. At this period, there will be a lot of misinformation and disinformation. People will be saying different things to divide us. And for us, this is the period we need to settle whatever grievances we may have.”
The meeting was attended by the Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal; Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin; and other top government officials, lawmakers, and political stakeholders.
