Engineer ‘Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo State has given reasons why Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress recorded electoral victory in the state in the presidential election that was held last Saturday, February 25.
The governor expressed happiness to be part of the process that “redrew the electoral map of Nigeria.”
Makinde, who spoke on Saturday when he was featured on Splash FM’s State Affairs with Edmond Obilo, said he stood for equity and fairness.
Tinubu polled 449,884 votes to defeat Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party who polled 182,977 votes in Oyo.
“I supported fairness, justice and equity. I supported a united Nigeria, a Nigeria that gives opportunity to every part of this country,” Makinde said.
When he was told that he delivered his ward to Tinubu, Makinde said, “He (Tinubu) defeated me out there. How do you deliver your ward?”
He said democracy was about people expressing themselves through the ballot, saying a lot of people in Oyo voted who they wanted. “That is what they decide to do.
“You know, you allow people to express themselves. A lot of our people, that is what they decided to do. They decided that, look, we want after eight years of presidency in the North, they want it to come to the South and this place being South-West, one of theirs was a candidate, so they supported one of their own.”
The governor also added that when one goes into a contest, he or she has to situate things appropriately, adding, “We had a survey before that election; we knew that a lot of our people are agitating for a country where there is fairness, equity and justice. I pointed it out to our party.
“I am glad that I am a part of a process that redrew the electoral map of Nigeria. That arrogance, I believe with the result of last Saturday’s election, is basically behind us. Now we know that people will have to seek alignment. If you want to rule this country, you are not just going to say oh, because I am from a certain part of this country, then that is the only qualification I require to rule this country. Now, you have to build bridges, reach out to others.”
When Makinde was asked if he would also “pay the price” with his re-election bid, Makinde said he would do what was right over his political interest, saying that was however left to the people of the state.
“If I have to choose between my political survival and doing what is right and just within the political space in Nigeria, I will choose to forgo my political career,” he said.
Credit: punchng.com
