Fighting Atiku may cost Makinde second ambition, ex-Minister warns

The former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Elder Wole Oyelese, says Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state risk losing is second term ambition over his opposition to the presidential standard-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Makinde is among the G5 governors: Nyesom Wike of (Rivers), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), who have withdrawn their support for the Atiku presidential bid in protest of the non-resignation of the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

Oyelese, who is the leader of a group, Atiku Victory Vanguard 2023, issued the advice, in Ibadan, on Wednesday, while addressing the coordinators of his group from the 33 Local Government Areas of the state, said that Makinde’s stance may cost him his re-election for a second term in office.

Oyelese said: “There is a limit for everything. He (Makinde) has reached the limit. It is time to come back and let us rebuild our party.

“Makinde should retreat now so that he can fight another day. Politics is not a do-or-die affair. It is not difficult to see that this time around, Atiku is God’s own project and he should be part of it.

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“The governor is surrounded by many people, who cannot tell him the truth to let him know that a lot of damage has been done to the party. There is a lot of work to be done if PDP is to remain in power in Oyo State.

“Coalition that brought Governor Seyi Makinde to power is gone. Most leaders and gatekeepers of the party are either gone or alienated. His colleague governors like Wike and others have nothing to lose because they have concluded their two terms in office and laid the foundation for their successors.

“This is not so for Oyo because Makinde is doing his first term in office and seeking re-election. It is the party members who have a lot to lose if the PDP cannot retain power as the party controlling Oyo State government. His re-election battle should take the front burner and enough of all this jamboree.

“Whoever is fighting or working against Atiku is fighting us. We are all witnesses to the dwindling economy in Nigeria and the exorbitant prices of goods, commodities and services”.