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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has dismissed speculation about defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) following his meeting with President Bola Tinubu at Presidential Villa, emphasising his commitment to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while advocating a cross-party collaboration on national challenges.
Speaking to State House Correspondents after discussions, Makinde clarified that the engagement centered on governance rather than partisan politics. “President is the President of Nigeria not the President of APC and we’re talking about governance here. So I came to discuss with the President on some governance issues, basically,” he stated.
Responding to questions on whether his recent visits signaled improved harmony with the APC amid his past media comments, he insisted no rift existed. “There’s nothing that I’ve said in the past that says we’re not enjoying a harmonious relationship. You know, politics is politics. We belong to different political parties, but Nigeria is a project that all Nigerians must be concerned about; welfare of our people, what are the governance issues, this issue of insecurity, poverty alleviation.”
Makinde stressed that such issues transcend party lines, urging leaders to unite for the public’s benefit. “I mean, they’re things that have no coloration of a party, as leaders, whether president or governor of the state, those are things that we have to work together, consult with one another, and ensure that we can make life better for our people,” he added.
On defections by some PDP colleagues to the APC, Makinde firmly ruled out any personal consideration. “No. I’m comfortable in the PDP, and again, we may have issues in this country where you need a bipartisan approach, where it won’t be an issue of maybe APC talking alone or PDP talking alone, where we will have to look at what is the best foot forward in the interest of our nation. So when you get to that junction, you need everybody on board,” he declared.
