Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has been warned by a local socio‑political group, operating under the Better Oyo Movement, not to divide the state along religious lines ahead of the 2023 governorship election. In a statement, the group’s chairman, Dr Femi Fakunle, said that attempts to split Oyo’s people by religion would be met with disappointment and that public opinion cannot be swayed through religious appeals.
The warning came in response to a viral message allegedly issued by the Oyo State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The message read: “Your Eminences, Christian Association Of Nigeria Oyo State Chapter has decided that we should please persuade members of our congregation to cast their votes for Engr Seyi Makinde of PDP for the continuation of sustainable development in Oyo State on Saturday, 11 March 2023. It is a Christian mandate. God bless. Chairman CAN Oyo State.” The Better Oyo Movement suggested that only “desperation” could have driven the governor to make such a plea.
The group emphasized that Oyo’s Muslims, Christians, traditionalists and freethinkers have historically co‑existed peacefully, reflecting the Yoruba tradition of tolerance, love and mutual celebration of each other’s festivals. They questioned why Governor Makinde would feel compelled to pressure CAN into issuing a divisive endorsement, asking, “Is this election now a matter of life and death, or what straw won’t the governor cling to in his bid to earn an unmerited re‑election?” They warned that framing the election as a “Christian mandate” ignores the state’s diverse religious makeup.
The statement urged Governor Makinde and his advisers to refrain from remarks that could “set the state on fire,” cautioning against engineering a religious crisis with unpredictable consequences. It also called on CAN to stay out of politics, noting that Oyo is not a one‑party state and that the church’s primary concern should be spreading the gospel, not engaging in power struggles.
Finally, the group reminded both the governor and CAN that winning an executive election requires broad‑based support, not a sectional endorsement that portrays a candidate as the “anointed” representative of any religion. They cited Labour Party candidate Peter Obi’s loss in the recent presidential election as an example of the pitfalls of sectarian campaigning.
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