Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has defended the non-inclusion of the presidential candidate Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s picture on the branded vehicles for campaign in the state, saying it is not compulsory.
The governor who spoke in Ibadan said there was nothing wrong if a politician chooses his own campaign strategy.
Asked specifically on reasons behind the non-inclusion of Atiku’s picture on the branded vehicles for campaign in the fleets of vehicles parked around his house at Ikolaba area of Ibadan, the governor said, “Is that the only place you have seen branded cars?
“I have seen branded cars by state House of Assembly candidates with just pictures of others running for House of Representatives in their localities.
“Anybody that branded cars with his own money… You see, you can’t force them to put my own picture or someone else’s picture so as to vote for him.”
Makinde disclosed that the aggrieved governors in PDP in Nigeria, known as the “G5″, which included Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwanyi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) have presented a reconciliatory documents, ongoing at the moment in the party.
“I believe those that left the party, did so owing to their political ambitions. Work is ongoing at bringing every party member together ahead of the 2023 general elections.
“Of course, we are reaching out to them, while some are vindicated on dropping their ambitions to join back in the party,” Makinde said.
