Makinde’s Deputy May Defect To Pick APC Ticket For Oyo North Senatorial District

The frosty relationship between Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and his Deputy, Rauf Olaniyan, may force the later to dump the Peoples Democratic Party

It was gathered that Makinde had already started to shop for a new running mate from Oke Ogun where Olaniyan comes from.

The All Progressives Congress is also said to be wooing the deputy governor to its party and it was gathered that he might be given the ticket for Oyo North Senatorial ticket for 2023 poll.

But some leaders of the APC are said to be kicking against this as it might scuttle their political ambition.

A serving Senator representing Oyo North, Fatai Buhari, of the APC who hails from Ogbomoso is said to have spent two terms and he may be asked to rest.

Also, a member of the House of Representatives from Iseyin, Shina Peller, has also declared his intention to move to the Senate. He is also contesting on the platform of the APC.

The deputy governor was one of the former governorship aspirants of the African Democratic Congress before the coalition with aggrieved politicians from some political parties which eventually helped Makinde to win in 2019.

A source told THE WHISTLER on Friday that the deputy governor and Makinde had been having a cold war for a long time.

The source said, “The deputy governor, Rauf Olaniyan, in the year 2020 complained bitterly about being sidelined in the running of government when the Dr Saka Balogun -led committee set up to resolve the grievances of aggrieved members of the PDP visited him.

“He told the committee that the governor neglected him and the promises made to him during the electioneering, and made Senator Hosea Agboola more relevant than him in the government.

” Nothing has changed since that time and the governor has been advised to drop him as his running mate in 2023.The deputy governor is also being wooed by some political parties.”

The deputy governor could not be reached for his comment on his next political move but he had given an indication of his possible move away from the PDP.

He said this during the Eid Fitri, when some journalists asked him what his next political move would be for 2023.

Olaniyan said, “Where exactly am I going in 2023? I know that 90 per cent of you people that are here will have the same question and that is why some of you are here.

“But, on that question, you will be disappointed with the answer. Where are we going in 2023? The answer is very simple, Idina siratalmastakim. (God is our guidance).

“As of today, I am a bonafide member of PDP. Anything can happen between now and then, 24 hours is too long in politics. Anything can happen.”

The Chairman of the APC, Mr Isaac Omodewu, also could not be reached on the phone as the person who picked the called placed to his telephone said he was in a meeting on several occasions the line was called.