I Was Busy, Makinde Explains Absence At PDP Flag-Off

The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, said he has been “busy” campaigning for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to win the 2023 general election.

He said this on Wednesday while answering questions from state house correspondents after the swearing-in of Olukayode Ariwoola as the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN).

Makinde was among the PDP governors who were absent from the flag-off ceremony of the party’s presidential campaign for the 2023 elections in Uyo, on Monday.

Party members loyal to Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, who Makinde identifies with, had vowed not to partake in the PDP’s presidential campaign if Iyorchia Ayu, national chairman of the party, does not resign from his position.

Governor Wike’s camp had requested Ayu’s resignation from office over northern dominance in key positions in the party.

The aggrieved governors insisted that the presidential candidate of the party, Atiku Abubakar, and the national chairman of the party can not come from the same region.

Makinde when asked on Wednesday if there is still a crisis in the PDP that made him not attend the presidential campaign flag-off in Uyo, Makinde said he needed to be in Oyo rather than Uyo.

“I have been busy at home in Oyo state campaigning for everybody. Uyo is not where I need to put the votes together. It is in Oyo; so I stayed in Oyo,” he said.