His exit is meaningless, says party’s spokesman
A self-acclaimed godfather of Governor Seyi Makinde in Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bisi Olopooeyan yesterday, said he had defected from the party to yet an undisclosed platform.

In a telephone chat with The Guardian, Olopooeyan said his decision to leave the ruling PDP in Oyo was informed by the irreconcilable differences between him, his loyalists in the PDP and Makinde.

He said: “I left the party but will soon declare the platform to join. All my supporters across the 33 local councils have also defected from PDP and like I said earlier, we will declare the platform to join very soon.”

He said that the winner takes all posture of Makinde was a major factor that worsened the party’s crisis, saying: “All entreaties to make the incumbent see reasons he should carry every member along fell on his deaf ear.”

“We are considering fusing into New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) or probably the Social Democratic Party (SDP). We are yet to make up our minds.”

MEANWHILE, Spokesman of Oyo PDP, Akeem Olatunji, said Olopooeyan’s exit would have no effect on the party or Makinde’s re-election bid next year.

He debunked Olopooeyan’s allegation that Makinde’s pride and stubbornness aggravated the Oyo PDP crisis, saying, “Let me say clearly that Olopooeyan has been parading himself as if he is bigger than the governor and the party.

He worked against PDP in the three senatorial elections in 2019 without hiding it. If PDP had lost Oyo South senatorial election, the outcome of 2019 governorship election would have been different. It is better for him to leave the party.”