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Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the upcoming Kogi governorship election, Senator Dino Melaye, has challenged Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, to prove his commitment to the party.
Makinde, a PDP member and one of the G5 governors - a group of five aggrieved PDP governors which also include former governors of, Rivers Benue, Abia, and Enugu, Nyesom Wike, Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi - is believed to have worked for the emergence of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the president.
The governors waged an open war against their party following the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the PDP presidential flag-bearer as opposed to a Southerner.
After several failed attempts to convince the party to drop the now-suspended National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, for regional balancing, the aggrieved governors resolved not to work for Atiku.
Unsatisfied with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 exercise, Atiku and his party filed petitions at the tribunal to challenge the president's victory.
Makinde calls for healing in the PDP
Speaking at a retreat for PDP elected officials held in Bauchi State on Saturday, June 3, 2023, Makinde recounted the crisis that rocked the party before the last general elections and asked members to heal from the episode.
“We were through a gruelling election, and whether we want to admit it or not, we had issues amongst ourselves during the election, but you know what?
“The healing process will have to start, and the healing process will start now. We must focus on things that will unite us. We must, as a matter of urgency, be forward-looking,” the Oyo Governor said.
Dino Melaye challenges Makinde
Meanwhile, Melaye challenged Makinde to live up to his words by supporting Atiku in the ongoing legal battle to set the healing process on course.
Speaking during the event's question-and-answer session, the Kogi PDP candidate noted that the gesture “will show that the healing has truly started.”
He added that “I just want to start by appreciating the comment of Governor Seyi Makinde this morning, particularly where he said, ‘Healing starts now,” he said.
“And the way to start that healing is, I would be glad if between now, next week, and two weeks that we’ll be at the tribunal, to see Governor Seyi Makinde walk into the tribunal venue and sit down, to support the party, our candidate.”