A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Femi Babalola, has said that the decision of some governors under the auspices of G-5 cannot affect the chances of Alhaji Abubakar Atiku in the state.
Some governors under the auspices of G-5 among whom are Nyesom Wike (Rivers) Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and two others have vowed not to support Atiku.
The five governors in their argument, explained that they will not support Atiku unless the national chairman of the party, Senator Iyorcha Ayu resigns from his position.
Babalola has however revealed that the decision of the five governors is not cannot hold water in the state.
He added that with the efforts he and others have put in place in the state, Atiku will win convincingly in the state.
Babalola made these disclosures while speaking during an interview with journalists in Ibadan on Monday.
The PDP chieftain while speaking, said that with efforts put in place, the stand of the G-5 governors will not affect the fortunes of Atiku in the state.
He said that Makinde who is complaining that Buhari and Atiku are from the north is also guilty of what he was complaining of.
He said that Makinde who is from Ibadan did not see anything wrong that he succeeded late Abiola Ajimobi who spent eight years in office and is also from Ibadan.
“I can assure you that, with efforts we have put in place so far and the ongoing ones, Makinde’s stand will not affect the fortunes of Abubakar Atiku in Oyo state, which have been displayed severally.
“People came out enmasse, party members came out and they were chanting Atiku! Atiku! Atiku! And they said that is the person they wanted in the presence of G5-Governors.
“Atiku will win, members know their own, no matter what. The freedom walk was excellent in turn out, the stance of party members in the presence of G-5 was also another sign of victory in Oyo state.
“We are leaving no stone unturned, we are working assiduously to compliment already established acceptability of Atiku in the state.
It is like Nigeria is lost somewhere in the moon. When you say something is in the trenches, you know where it is. The state at which we are now is that we don’t know where the country is.
As far as I am concerned, we need Atiku, who has done this before. Of all those contesting, he is the one who has done it before. He has been the Vice-President for eight years. He has seen it all. That is the kind of person we need now. We don’t need a learner. We don’t need someone that will come in and learn on the job. Someone who will say give me the first two years to settle down, I want to take my time and see what is going on in this villa.
State politics and regional politics are different from National politics. National governance is different from state or regional governance. I stand by Atiku. He is qualified. He is competent. He has done it before.
“And he is still contesting in the next election, Makinde took over from Late Governor Ajimobi after eight, Late Ajimobi was from Ibadan, Makinde, who took over is from Ibadan but Seyi did not see anything wrong in contesting and taking over from Ajimobi.
“He didn’t say oh, an Ibadan man, has done eight years, it should be unfair for another Ibadan man to contest and continue.
“We have other zones in Oyo state, We have people from Ogbomosho, Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun. So, why should it be an Ibadan man, replacing another Ibadan man? He didn’t see anything wrong there then. So, what I am saying is that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. If he had kept a principled stand then, me, Femi Babalola, will support him, that yes, this is what this guy stood for in 2019, so we are ready to support him.
