Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has asserted that Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, would not have won any major election without the political structure provided by key figures within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including himself.
Speaking during his end-of-year media briefing on Monday, Wike said Makinde repeatedly failed in earlier electoral contests due to the absence of a solid political base. According to him, financial resources alone were not enough to secure victory at the polls.
Wike explained that ahead of the 2019 governorship election, Makinde was introduced to him, after which a decision was made to hand over the PDP structure in Oyo State to support his ambition. He claimed it was only after this intervention that Makinde successfully emerged as governor.
The FCT minister further argued that despite Makinde’s claims of financial strength at the time, he was unable to translate wealth into electoral success without party backing.
Recalling past elections, Wike noted that Makinde unsuccessfully contested for a senatorial seat under the ANPP in 2007. He added that in 2013, Makinde again sought political support but was turned down and subsequently ran under the SDP, where he suffered another defeat.
According to Wike, Makinde returned ahead of the 2019 elections, at which point PDP leaders agreed to provide him with the political structure he lacked. Wike said this decision ultimately paved the way for Makinde’s victory at the polls.
The comments were made in response to Makinde’s earlier claim that he was already earning significant income at a time when Wike served as a local government chairman. Wike countered by stating that regardless of financial status, Makinde still operated under laws enacted during his tenure in local government administration.
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