2023: Oyo Deputy Governor’s Defection And The Risk It Poses On Seyi Makinde’s Re-election

To say that all is not presently well with the ruling People’s Democratic Party in Oyo state is an understatement. With the recent development in the state, it is obvious the party is swimming in a stormy Sea and if things are not properly managed, its rocky boat may sink in 2023 general election.

On Sunday, the state deputy governor, Rauf Olaniyan confirmed his defection to the All Progressive Congress. His confirmation finally puts to rest weeks of speculations and denials about his membership of the APC.

Before now, the relationship between the Deputy governor and his principal, Engr. Seyi Makinde has not been quite rosy. Despite all efforts to keep the troubled relationship from the public, the crack simply got wider by the day.

The matter literally got to its pinnacle last week when Seyi Makinde announced Bayo Lawal as his running mate ahead of the sitting deputy governor. Olaniyan was ruled out of 2023 picture and permutation. 

For those who followed the trend, this would not come to them as a surprise. For a while, loyalists who followed the deputy governor to the people’s democratic party have been complaining about their marginalization in the scheme of PDP politics in Oyo state.

Recalled that Olaniyan who was an ADC governorship candidate in 2015 formed an alliance with Seyi Makinde in 2019. He was picked as his running mate after he cross carpeted to the PDP alongside his supporters. That was the agreement between them.

Since the emergence of PDP administration in the state, the D-gov together with his loyalists were said to have been sidelined in the activities of government.

The irreconcilable differences were believed to have informed his decision to retrace his political step. But this time, he chose to find a succor in the main opposition party.

With his defection, the 2023 election in the state may not be an easy walk for the Governor as experienced in 2019.

Olaniyan is a thoroughbred politician whose political tentacles cut across all strata in the state. Although, he might not be the APC candidate for the election but his influence can cause a serious upset for the PDP.

In the same vein, there is possibility of governor Makinde to use the state house of assembly members to try and impeach him before the election for flimsy reason. 

This will only create more sympathies for him and build more animosity towards the governor. And all these will define the mood of people in 2023.

For a seasoned politician like Olaniyan to defect to the main opposition party will seriously make the second term journey of Governor Makinde very tough and rough.

APC is a strong party in Oyo. And now with the defection of a strong politician and sitting deputy governor, Governor Makinde’s chance of securing a second term is heavily threatened.