The former deputy governor of Oyo State, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan has replied former Minister of State, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide’s position that the 2023 presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has abandoned his party’s governorship candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin.
The chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party while featuring on a Lagelu FM 96.7 programme, ‘Bose n lo’, anchored by Temitayo Oyeladun commented that Asiwaju Tinubu’s visit to Governor Seyi Makinde was a sign that the APC presidential candidate has abandoned the governorship candidate of his party in the state, Sen. Teslim Folarin.
“Tinubu came to Ibadan and visited Governor Seyi Makinde, heaping praises on him and acknowledging the achievement of the party (PDP) in the state. He got to Mapo Hall and just handed the flag to the party standard-bearer without a word of campaign for himself or the gubernatorial candidate of the party.”
She also lamented Tinubu’s snub of the Olubadan-in-Council, who waited all day in expectation of welcoming him.
“They (Tinubu and other APC chieftains) came to the state, went to the governor, to Mapo, then went to meet with some Obas, here in Ibadan and went straight to the airport without visiting His Imperial Majesty, the Olubadan of Ibadan. That’s very bad. Even Presidents won’t do that” Akinjide lamented.
Responding to Akinjide’s allegations, a former deputy governor of the state, Engr Rauf Olaniyan, who also featured on the Lagelu FM programme, said the allegations are flimsy and that the ruling party in the state is more fragmented.
“If they deceive you don’t deceive yourself. Have you ever seen Akinjide follow Seyi to any campaign ground,” Olaniyan asked.
In response to allegations that Tinubu didn’t say a word at Mapo Hall, Olaniyan said, “Tinubu would have cried in appreciation of the reception he received in Oyo State if he made to speak. What more would you want him to say? The crowd was reassuring enough beyond words. Asiwaju had nothing more to say.” Olaniyan was the deputy governor to Engr Seyi Makinde but was impeached by the Oyo State House of Assembly.
