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The Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has explained how the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ran away with victory in Oyo State during the presidential election on Saturday, February 25, 2023.
Makinde's explanation comes amid speculations that he actively worked for the victory of the former Lagos State governor in the state.
It'd be recalled that Tinubu scored 449,884 votes to defeat Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 182,977 votes in Oyo.
Speaking on the development during a radio show, Splash FM’s State Affairs with Desmond Obilo on Saturday, March 4, 2023, the governor said he was happy to be part of the process that “redrew the electoral map of Nigeria,” The Punch reported.
Speaking further, Makinde said he stood for justice, equity, and farimess and "I supported a united Nigeria, a Nigeria that gives opportunity to every part of this country.”
When he was reminded that he delivered his ward for Tinubu, the governor said, “He (Tinubu) defeated me out there. How do you deliver your ward?”
He said Tinubu's victory came about as a result of Oyo people's yearnings for fairness, equity, and justice, which they expressed through the ballot on election day.
Makinde's words: “That is what they decide to do.”
“You know, you allow people to express themselves. A lot of our people, that is what they decided to do. They decided that, look, we want after eight years of presidency in the North, they want it to come to the South and this place being South-West, one of theirs was a candidate, so they supported one of their own.”
“We had a survey before that election; we knew that a lot of our people are agitating for a country where there is fairness, equity and justice. I pointed it out to our party.”
“I am glad that I am a part of a process that redrew the electoral map of Nigeria. That arrogance, I believe with the result of last Saturday’s election, is basically behind us. Now we know that people will have to seek alignment. If you want to rule this country, you are not just going to say oh, because I am from a certain part of this country, then that is the only qualification I require to rule this country. Now, you have to build bridges, reach out to others.”