Fresh political claims have once again stirred debate within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over how Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde rose to prominence within the party, reviving long-standing arguments about who truly controlled the party’s structure in the state ahead of the 2019 general elections.
A fact check conducted by Goalpoachernews showed that claims suggesting former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike handed over the PDP structure in Oyo State to Senator Teslim Folarin over Seyi Makinde are inconsistent with established political timelines and verifiable party records.
At the period in question, available evidence indicated that control of the PDP structure in Oyo State was firmly in the hands of influential local party stakeholders, like late former Governor Adebayo Alao Akala, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, Hosea Agboola, Mulikat Adeola, Ajibola Muraina, late Yekini Adeojo, Kunle Yusuff MON among other gladiators not external political actors such as Wike who was a junior Minister in 2013.
Makinde’s political trajectory showed that he first contested the 2007 senatorial election under the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) but lost before later seeking relevance within the PDP in the build up to 2011 elections.
Further findings showed that in 2013, when control of the PDP structure in Oyo State was being contested, Makinde did not secure the party’s machinery. Teslim Folarin hijacked the party’s structure with the help of former Senate President, David Mark and this led to the exit of Alao Akala from the party.
Instead, Makinde defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to contest the governorship election, where he ran one of the most talked about campaigns in the history of Oyo State, a move that clearly showed he was a billionaire.
The fact check also established that Makinde only gained access to the PDP structure ahead of the 2019 general elections following internal agreements among key party leaders within the state especially when Senator Agboola, Bisi Olopoenia, Mulikat, Jumoke Akinjide, Kunle Yusuff MON among others critical stakeholders decided they were not going to support Teslim Folarin anymore and that it was the turn of Seyi Makinde. This prompted Teslim Folarin to leave the PDP for APC.
Crucially, records reviewed by Goalpoachernews confirmed that in 2013, Nyesom Wike was serving as a junior minister in the Federal Ministry of Education.
He did not emerge as the PDP governorship candidate in Rivers State until 2014 and held no position within the PDP National Working Committee that would have empowered him to determine the control of a state party structure.
Based on these findings, Goalpoachernews concluded that the claim that Wike handed over the PDP structure to Folarin over Makinde in 2013 is misleading and not supported by verifiable facts.
