Following a due consultation with PDP Party leaders from Oke-Ogun zone, the Chairman of the party in Oyo State, Dayo Ogungbero has announced the Chairman of the Oyo State Housing Corporation, Barrister Bayo Lawal as governor Seyi Makinde’s running mate in the next General election come 2023.
Ogungbenro made the announcement immediately after a closed door meeting the governor had with the PDP leaders from Oke-Ogun zone, where they unanimously chose the candidature of Barrister Bayo Lawal.
Ogungbero however emphasized that the the present Deputy Governor of the state, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan, remains in his official position until the party takes the next action on his defection to the opposition Party APC.
“The essence of the meeting we had with the governor is to intimate us that the Deputy Governor has decamped to APC, so he wanted a replacement for that position and it would not speak well of him to take take action singlehandedly without talking to us as leaders and from the zone where the Deputy Governor came from.
“And the decision we arrived at here today is that one of us, Barrister Lawal, the present Chairman of the Oyo State Housing Corporation is to replace Engineer Rauf Olaniyan as the Deputy Governor.” Ogungbenro said.
Also Senator Gbenga Babalola from Iseyin said Governor Makinde’s decision is” to ensure that the zone where the outgoing Deputy Governor comes from is not left out of the equation”.
Former chairman of the party, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha alongside another former chairman of the party in the state also reiterates the statement of the party chairman, stressing that the essence of the meeting was to intimate Oke-Ogun leaders that the Deputy Governor has gone back to where he came from, APC.
While addressing journalists shortly after the announcement, Barrister Lawal, who expressed his happiness, thanked party leaders from Oke-Ogun for unanimously endorsing his nomination.
“It’s a great honour, privilege and I’m not taking it lightly or simply. I’m taking it with all seriousness. A lot of consultations have gone into choosing me as the running mate of the governor come 2023.
“These considerations are many but they single out a few of them, that is replacing his running mate for 2023 from the same federal constituency where Deputy Governor came from.
“Apart from the this, I need to extend my appreciation to all my leaders from Oke-Ogun zone. To the glory of God, none of my leaders from Oke-Ogun opposed my nomination as a running mate to the governor. That shows that the acceptance is overwhelming.
“But that throws a lot of challenges to me as a person and I have pleaded with all my leaders in Oke-Ogun, and indeed in Oyo State to give maximum cooperation to this administration.
“I cannot catalogue the level of achievements recorded so far. We want to continue with that pace and tempo, and even add more. That is what I am supposed to do as a deputy governor. And I pledge my loyalty to the governor, to the party and to the people of Oyo State.” Lawal stated.