• Gov joining APC nails PDP’s coffin, says Farounbi
• FG wades into Ibadan ecological crisis as Olubadan visits

Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has said his recent visit to President Bola Tinubu was strictly centred on governance issues and national interest, stressing that the President remains the leader of all Nigerians, not of any single political party.

However, former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr Yemi Farounbi, warned that any decision by the governor to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) would amount to nailing the coffin of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing the opposition party as already suffering a “technical death”.

This was as the Federal Government has reaffirmed its readiness to address the ecological challenges confronting Ibadan, particularly recurring flooding that claimed lives and damaged property.

Speaking with journalists at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday, after the meeting, Makinde said: “Tinubu is the President of Nigeria, not of the APC, and we are talking about governance,” he said. “So, I came to discuss with the President on some governance issues, basically.”

Responding to questions on whether his visit signalled a new political alignment or improved relations between APC and PDP, Makinde dismissed such speculations, noting that cooperation across party lines had always existed on matters of national importance.

“There is nothing I have said in the past that suggests we are not enjoying a harmonious relationship,” he said. “Politics is politics. We belong to different political parties, but Nigeria is a project that all Nigerians must be concerned about.”

The Oyo governor emphasised that issues such as insecurity, poverty alleviation and the welfare of citizens transcend partisan politics and require collaboration among leaders at all levels of government.

FAROUNBI, while reacting to reports of Makinde visiting Tinubu in Abuja, said the deepening internal crisis within the PDP pushed the party to the brink, noting that ongoing leadership disputes and legal battles weakened its capacity to function as a credible national opposition.

Acording to him, the uncertainty surrounding court cases involving the party further eroded confidence among members, fuelling the wave of defections across the country.

The elder statesman argued that Makinde remains one of the last major pillars sustaining hope within the PDP, particularly among those who see the Oyo governor as a potential presidential candidate. Should Makinde defect now, Farounbi said, it would effectively seal the party’s fate and confirm its collapse as a viable political force.

THE Federal Government’s assurance on the ecological crisis was given by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, yesterday, in Abuja, when the Olubadan of Ibadan, Rashidi Ladoja, led a high-powered delegation from Oyo to his office.

Welcoming the monarch and his entourage, Akume called on prominent Nigerians who have benefited from the hospitality and academic excellence of Ibadan, particularly the alumni of the University of Ibadan, to deliberately give back to the ancient city.

“We will do everything within our capacity to support the development of Ibadan, especially in resolving the ecological challenges that have long plagued the city and resulted in flooding,” Akume said.

He described the Olubadan’s visit as a demonstration of leadership and sacrifice, noting that the monarch’s personal intervention underscored the urgency of the situation.