The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Seyi Makinde

  • Oyo SDP candidate restates his mission

    Oyo SDP candidate restates his mission

    Over 2,000 people have joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State. The party Chairman, Sunday Adelaja, received the defectors in Iwajowa Local Government Area. He said they would be given equal opportunities with old members.

    The party chairman congratulated the defectors for identifying with the SDP and promised that they would not regret their decision.

    He told the party supporters and loyalists, who converged on the palace of Sabiganna of Iganna to listen to the governorship candidate, Seyi Makinde.

    Makinde thanked the politicians for their kind words about him and reiterated his commitment to banishing poverty in the state.

    He said his coming into politics was not for personal enrichment, but to use the opportunity to liberate the people.

    The SDP candidate enjoined his supporters to work assiduously for the success of the party, saying “it is by your work that we can get to office through which we can actualise our plans for the state”.

  • Makinde to help fire victims

    Makinde to help fire victims

    The Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has promised to help the fire victims of the ‘S and T’ army barracks, Ibadan.

    The barracks, built with planks, went up in flames at the weekend, rendering the victims homeless.

    Makinde made the promise when he visited the scene on his way to a campaign tour of Oke-Ogun area (Oyo North).

    The SDP governorship candidate told the victims to see the incident as a natural disaster common during the dry season.

    Makinde called for a list of the victims to be sent to his campaign organisation.

    One of the victims, Gabriel Adeyemo, thanked the candidate for identifying with them.

  • Makinde: skirmish won’t deter us

    Makinde: skirmish won’t deter us

    The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has said the violence that marred his campaign in Ibadan on Monday would not deter his party from accomplishing its goal in the election.

    Makinde, who spoke through the Director-General of his campaign organisation, Kehinde Ayoola, described the skirmish as a minor irritation, saying the party would forge ahead with concentration.

    “What happened yesterday was a minor irritation. We will focus on where we are going. We remain undaunted and we won’t be distracted. We abhor violence and we shall continue to hold the banner of peace in Oyo State.”

    Hoodlums attacked Makinde’s supporters at his grand rally at Mapo Hall on Monday; some vehicles were vandalised and some people injured.

    The SDP candidate promised to strengthen internal security within the party to prevent a recurrence.

  • I’ll eradicate poverty, says Makinde

    I’ll eradicate poverty, says Makinde

    The ancient Mapo Hill in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, came alive yesterday for the governorship campaign of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Seyi Makinde.

    Makinde, a 48-year-old engineer and his running mate, Sulaiman Adediran, promised to banish poverty, if elected.

    Thousands of party faithful and well wishers blocked vehicular movements around the vicinity of Mapo, Oritameri, Beere and Ojaba. Fuji maestro Saheed Osupa thrilled the crowd.

    Makinde said: “My over 10 years of active participation in partisan politics in Oyo State has opened my eyes to the very poor situation of our people. I have visited all the local governments and my conclusion is that the situation in Ibadan, Ibarapa, Oke-Ogun, Ogbomoso and Oyo is the same. Our people are suffering; those who are supposed to help them have become looters of our commonwealth.”

    Former PDP leader and minister Elder Wole Oyelese was presented as the Oyo South Senatorial candidate.

  • Oyo needs competent hands, says Makinde

    Oyo needs competent hands, says Makinde

    The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has said governments at all levels must look for alternative source of funds.

    He said the people must brace up for rough times economically if they allow the status quo remain after the February 28 governorship election.

    The status quo, according to him, “does not necessarily mean the return of the present administration, but, also installment of any of the previous ones jostling to come back, because there’s nothing new to bring into governance”.

    Makinde said the demand of the moment “requires diversification of the economy from oil to other sources, the blue-print of which I have prepared to ensure that federal allocation will not be our priority as a means of running the government”.

    The governorship hopeful assured that the welfare of the people would take a centre-stage, stressing that there’s no difficulty in running an enlightened state like Oyo if there is transparency and sincerity of purpose.

    “I don’t claim monopoly of knowledge, because, I have, in the course of my interaction with the people, identified result-oriented and goal-getting individuals who I’m sure will be ready to offer their services to the state.

    “We are more blessed in this state to find ourselves in this parlous level which is why I have taken it upon myself to champion the cause of a new order, using the  Social Democratic Party (SDP) platform and with the people on our side, we will re-write the history of the state.

    “We will return the state to its pace-setter status by harnessing our resources, both human and materials.

    “I have not held any governmental position before, but, I can say with every sense of modesty that I possess all it takes to run a successful government.”

  • Makinde gets SDP governorship ticket

    Makinde gets SDP governorship ticket

    The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State has taken a new step, as one of its leading governorship aspirants, Seyi Makinde, dumped the party for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    Makinde, addressing reporters yesterday in Ibadan, said he would contest the governorship election on the platform of the SDP.

    He said after consultations with members, supporters and leaders, it was decided that the Omi Titun structure should move to the SDP in order to usher the state into a new era come.

    “The PDP subverted the court by conducting an election with about 10 per cent of those who were eligible to participate. All entreaties made to the PDP leadership headquarters were rebuffed.

    “I joined the PDP thinking that it believed in democratic tenets, rule of law, fairness and justice to all. The PDP candidate claimed to have been elected with 167 votes after the majority of 1,053 delegates were disenfranchised.”

    He reiterated that the decision to join the governorship race was to improve the people’s standard of living through responsive and responsible leadership.

     

  • Oyo PDP aspirant gets Oke Ogun support

    Oyo PDP aspirant gets Oke Ogun support

    THE  aspiration of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has received a boost in Oke Ogun.

    Makinde’s Omi Titun campaign team was received by some PDP leaders  in Irepo/Oorelope/Olorunsogo Federal Constituency.

    He was described as “the only aspirant without blemish and the one who revived the party in Oyo State after the 2011 election loss”.

    At the reception were former PDP Vice Chairman Yakubu Oladoja; Sunday Alabi; J.S. Amodu, Musiru Somope and chairmen in Irepo and Olorunsogo local governments Saliu Adegoke and Oladele Saminu.

    Amodu said Makinde helped the party when morale was low after the 2011 election.

    Alabi praised the aspirant for helping the party, despite never holding a political office.

    Makinde told the leaders that there was need for unity, saying with the party’s ticket, he would be able to deliver the state to the PDP.

    “I assure you and the people that positive change is just around the corner.

    “The people deserve good governance and that is what I promise if I am elected,” he said.

    The aspirant also visited the Iba of Kisi, Oba Moshood Aweda Lawal and the Onigbeti of Igbeti, Oba Emmanuel Oyekan Oyebisi.

    Lawal described Makinde as an Omoluabi; Oyebisi said he was the first aspirant to visit him.

    On Makinde’s entourage were a former PDP Chairman, Michael Adegbite;  former Commissioner for Works Mike Akinfenwa; former Speaker of the House of Assembly Kehinde Ayoola; Muili Yusuf and a former lawmaker, Ramota Okemakinde.

     

     

  • Makinde: I’m the candidate to beat

    Makinde: I’m the candidate to beat

    A governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has said he is the candidate to beat during the party’s primaries.

    Makinde, a 47-year-old engineer, who has operated in the oil and gas sector for 20 years, said he is the best candidate to challenge Governor Abiola Ajimobi from among the 13 aspirants bidding for the PDP ticket.

    Among the aspirants is former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, who has launched his campaign bid.

    The aspirant told reporters that a repeat of the Alao-Akala for PDP, Ajimobi for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Ex-Governor Rashidi Ladoja for Accord in a governorship race, would not be in PDP’s favour.

    “The scenario of these three men gunning for the seat will not be in the interest of the PDP. The PDP needs a new face and ideas which I represent.

    “I am the only aspirant, who has not offended anybody,” Makinde said.

    The aspirant said: “The Ajimobi government has “underachieved” in many areas, including education and in reducing “the crippling poverty among our people.”

    Makinde said if he gets the PDP ticket, his focus would be on education, agriculture, health and building of infrastructure.

    To him, there has been nothing to write home about on agriculture in Oyo State “whereas agriculture is Oyo State’s black gold.”

    On education, he said pupils still study in poor environment while teachers are not motivated.

    While acknowledging that the Ajimobi government has built some roads in urban areas, he questioned “the economic benefits of such roads.”