Controversy has surrounded the alleged endorsement of Governor Seyi Makinde by the Labour Party (LP) for the upcoming Oyo State gubernatorial election. According to reports, the state LP chairman, Mr. Sadiq Atayese, announced the endorsement at a press conference held at the party office in Molete, Ibadan, on Sunday. Atayese said Makinde was chosen because his ideology, competence, compassion for the masses, and numerous achievements align with the party’s values. He highlighted the Labour Party’s strong performance in the recent presidential election, noting that the party has become a “force to reckon with” and that a third‑force party, barely a year old, has grown powerful due to the quality of its candidates.
Atayese explained that, for the upcoming state election, the LP decided to support a candidate who possesses character, competence, and a genuine concern for citizens’ welfare, emphasizing that no single party can win the governorship alone. He added that the party’s priority is to ensure that voters elect a candidate who best serves their interests. Consequently, the LP will collaborate with the party whose candidate shares its views on security, agricultural development, and financial well‑being—criteria he believes Makinde’s administration fulfills. He called on all Oyo State residents to vote for Makinde, stating that the decision was made after serious consideration of the party’s future in the state. Atayese also affirmed that the LP’s state structure remains intact, with its assembly candidates still contesting the elections.
When contacted, the LP’s gubernatorial candidate in Oyo State, Tawfiq Akinwale, insisted that he remains the party’s candidate for the March 11, 2023 election. “I remain the candidate of Labour Party for March 11, 2023 and my party has never changed that status quo. I do not know anything about the purported adoption. Is he an orphan? By the grace of Almighty God, I am a winner already!” he replied to a text message from our correspondent.
In response, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain from the state, Akin Akinwale, tweeted that it was the “hungry faction” of the LP that endorsed Makinde, adding, “After all my uncle did for your party in Oyo State. Anyways it is the hungry faction of Oyo LP that endorsed Seyi Makinde.”
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