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From Taiwo Oluwadare, Ibadan
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has urged his political appointees and elected office holders to begin preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections, declaring that members of the ruling party in the state are free to commence political mobilisation.
The governor gave the directive on Thursday evening during an Iftar programme organised by the state government at the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Ibadan.
Makinde told the political office holders that they now have his approval to mount billboards and banners as part of early preparations for the next electoral cycle.
“They now have my grace to mount their billboards and banners,” the governor said.
He, however, cautioned that their loyalty should not be to him personally but to the people of the state and its development.
“They don’t have to be loyal to Seyi Makinde, but to the people of Oyo State and the state’s development,” he stated.
The governor also directed that campaign materials should carry the logo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stressing that the party remains firmly rooted in the state.
“They should put the PDP logo on their billboards and banners; we are going nowhere,” Makinde added.
It was gathered that the governor did not instruct the political appointees to resign their positions while preparing for the elections.
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Speaking further at the Ramadan fast-breaking event attended by Muslim faithful, Makinde expressed concern over what he described as uncertainty surrounding the authentic version of Nigeria’s Electoral Act reportedly assented to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to him, he has yet to see the official document and has heard reports that different versions of the law are currently in circulation.
“To be honest, as the governor of Oyo State and one out of the 36 governors in Nigeria, I am not sure what they brought out as the Electoral Act. I have not seen it and I have not laid my hand on it,” Makinde said.
He noted that the situation raises concerns about the legal framework that will guide the 2027 elections.
“If I, as the governor, have not seen the Electoral Act and they even said there were two versions out there, I do not know. If it is true, the people in charge must let the entire Nigeria know,” he said.
Makinde described the Electoral Act as the major legal reference for election administration and political participation, stressing that political stakeholders must clearly understand its provisions ahead of the next polls.
“That is like the reference book for the election in 2027. They should let us know and come clean. Bring out the Electoral Act, the one assented to by the president, so that we can all work according to that Act,” he added.
The governor also raised similar concerns about the country’s new tax legislation, noting that reports of multiple versions of the law were circulating without an officially available copy.
“Even the new tax law has two versions. I have not seen the official one. They should let us know which rule book we are playing with in 2027,” he said.
