Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State is the only governor on the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Southwest since 2019. He has not only demonstrated a lot of understanding but also built good relationships across party levels in the last three years.

Unlike one of his predecessors, who was sometimes in the shoes of Makinde as the only PDP governor in the region, the incumbent governor of Oyo State has been able to strike a balance and maintain peaceful relationship across party divides since 2019. The Oyo State helmsman may only need to get some few support base in Ibadan, to retain power beyond 2023.
 
Makinde, though regarded as one of the younger generation governors in Nigeria, appears not to be bothered about the crisis within the Oyo PDP as the like of Alhaji Bisi Olopoeyan, who claimed to have helped the governor to power with others are no longer in good terms.
 
The level of understanding and maturity he demonstrated with the likes of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, Chairman Southwest APC Governors Forum and Governor Kayode Fayemi, Chairman Governors Forum (NGF), especially during the establishment of the Southwest Security outfit codenamed, Amotekun to tame the menace of armed herdsmen in Yoruba land, earned him respect more than his said predecessor.
 
Beyond the fact that those who claimed to help him to attain power in 2019, now see him as a traitor, Governor Makinde developmental strides across the three zones in Oyo State is earning him more popularity than the negative perception of his perceived enemies.
  
Another factor that may likely work to the advantage of Makinde as the 2023 election draws closer is the fact that the present opposition Oyo chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) is in disarray such that pundits believe the party may not get its house together to present a strong candidate next year that will give the incumbent a strong fight.
 
As a source in APC said, “Except the political game plan in Oyo changes between now and next year, the hope to brand Makinde as a traitor by those who felt neglected by the governor cannot stop him (Makinde) from getting re-elected.”
 
The source said the ability of the governor to successfully manage the succession arrangement of the Olubadan stool by picking Senator Lekan Balogun, has not only doused the negative perception against Makinde. “The Oba-elect and the traditional institution that kicked against his immediate successor, the late Abiola Ajimobi will definitely work in support of the governor’s second term.”

There is assurance that his prudent way of addressing the Olubadan succession matter alone will split the vote of Ibadan, which is the largest voting catchment area in Oyo between him and whoever APC will present in the next governorship election.
 
One of the political observers in Oyo said, “What Makinde should be praying to happen now is for APC to pick Senator Teslim Folarin as its flag bearer in the next election. Then the contest will be a walk over for the incumbent.”
  
Beyond Ibadan, the governor also demonstrated a smart political game by according the late former governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, who passed on early this year the utmost respect during his burial to the delight of people of Oyo North and Ogbomoso side especially.
  
Apart from the respect and concern Makinde showed to Alao-Akala in death, his administration is not leaving any stone unturned in the provision of needed infrastructure in Oyo North especially the construction of needed road network to make travelling and economic activities easy for the people.
 
This is despite the fact that both Makinde and Alao-Akala are not in the same party until the former governor’s demise. During Alao-Akala’s burial, the governor, in his speech, eulogised Alao-Akala as a great man, who recognised and lived his life in accordance with the Biblical teaching that there is a time and a season for everything under the sun.

Makinde, who declared that the state government would immortalise the late former governor, said a committee headed by his Chief of Staff, Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi, has been put in place to work on how best to honour the deceased.

The governor called for suggestions from well-meaning residents of the state. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor stated these at the Beulah Baptist Conference Centre, Ogbomoso, venue of the burial service for the late former governor.

He praised the former governor for putting aside party differences to work for the progress of the state when he (Makinde) informed him of a plan to flag off the Ogbomoso-Fapote-Iseyin road.

He said: “In Ecclesiastes Chapter 3, the Bible says ‘there is time for everything under the sun.’ In the last conversation I had with Governor Alao-Akala, I called to inform that I would like him to be the one to flag off the Ogbomoso-Fapote-Iseyin Road project and he said to me, ‘Seyi, just call to give 48 hours notice and I would be there.’

“He knew there was a time to tear down and a time to rebuild together. The former governor recognised the fact that that particular time was not the time for us to project our political differences but a time to come together in the interest of Oyo State.”

The governor maintained that apart from supporting the family of the governor, he would also redeem whatever pledge Alao-Akala made to students of the Ogbomoso Baptist Conference College.

“As for the children who came with a request, I know how you feel and I will champion the cause to redeem whatever it is the late Governor Alao-Akala has promised them.

“Finally, I have been going around to determine how we can honour our great man from Oyo State. And we have set up a committee headed by the Chief of Staff. If you also have any advice in this regard, let us know and, within the shortest period of time, the government of Oyo State will ensure that he is adequately honoured.
“On that note, I want to say farewell to a great man, my brother, my mentor and a great son of Ogbomosoland,” Makinde added.
 
Apart from the honour Makinde bestowed on Alao-Akala, the governor also recently paid homage to erstwhile  Molete, Ibadan, residence of the former Governor of the State, Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo, where he presented a Toyotal Landcruiser SUV to the former governor.
 
Makinde, who was accompanied by a number of government officials, held a closed door meeting with Olunloyo  who was governor between October 1, 1983 and December 30, of the same year.
 
Governor Makinde said: “Your Excellency, let me present you with this gift,” pointing to the army-green-colored car. An excited Olunloyo asked one of his aides to pray for the governor and the success of his administration.
 
The governor, his entourage and Olunloyo later undertook a tour of the former governor’s newly renovated residence. In his brief remark, Olunloyo praised Makinde for what he described as his good works, praying that the governor will continue to record successes.
 
Playing matured politics, although his enemies label him a premature politician, who lacks the depth of Oyo politics, but his style has, so far, contradicted their perception.
 
For instance, Makinde successfully used Taofik Arapaja, who is now a deputy national chairman of PDP to prove to his detractors he is not that naive. First, the governor singlehandedly used Arapaja to dust former Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State during the contest for the national vice chairman Southwest zone of PDP.
 
While Makinde supported Arapaja, one time deputy governor in Oyo, Fayose’s favourite was Dr Eddy Olafeso from Ondo State. Not long after the national vice chairmanship contest, Makinde again picked Arapaja and backed him to contest for the deputy national chairman position against the likes of former Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

The Oyo State Governor once more proved to skeptics that he is not a weakling when Arapaja dusted the former military General at the PDP national convention. But surprisingly, rather than keeping unnecessary malice and political bickering, Makinde humbled himself to reconcile with both Fayose and Oyinlola, a character many observers said is rare among Nigerian politicians.
 
Today, Southwest PDP is relatively at peace compared to what it used to be in the past. This is partly because of how Makinde has been trying to ensure peace reigns in most state chapters where he intervened.

Take Lagos for example, Makinde has been able to strike a kind of balance between the Chief Bode George faction and other aggrieved faction, which never agrees with the former Ondo State military administrator’s pattern of leadership in Lagos PDP since 1999.

Recently, Makinde in collaboration with other governors of PDP welcomed the Lagos4Lagos Movement headed by Mr Abdul Azeez Adediran from Lagos APC to PDP. The aim is to give the ruling party a serious contest in 2023.
 
Even in Ogun and Osun states, the matured intervention of Makinde is felt in both state chapters of PDP such that most of those characters who supported Fayose against Makinde during the national vice chairman Southwest contest are now looking for ways to join Makinde’s camp.
 
So far, the Oyo State governor’s style of politics has brought some level of maturity and tranquillity into Southwest PDP. But how far he can sustain that to retain his seat in Oyo come 2023 is what pundits are waiting to see.