The Oyo State governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2015 general elections, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has dumped the party to rejoin the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Makinde made the declaration in a statement issued yesterday by his media office at their Omititun headquarters in Ibadan.
The oil magnate left the PDP prior to the 2015 general elections when he was unable to clinch the ticket of the party and joined the SDP to contest the governorship election in the state.
Last week, Makinde had told the leadership of the PDP led by the interim national chairman, Senator Ahmed Malaria, who paid him a courtesy call in his Ibadan country home that he was 99 percent in the PDP if the fundamental issues were addressed.
“Following extensive, deep and wide consultations with the national leadership, Oyo State leaders and elders of the Social Democratic Party, and cross sections of strategic partners within Oyo State, I hereby announce my defection, with the entire Omititun campaign structures at the 33 local government areas to the PDP,” the statement reads in part.
He said the repositioning of the state was not primarily to pursue his personal ambition but largely informed by the resolution of all opposition parties as contained in a recent communique signed by the leaders of opposition parties to work together so as to find lasting solutions to the myriad challenges and underdevelopment facing Oyo citizens.
Engr. Makinde said he was ready to proffer long lasting and far reaching solutions to salvage Oyo State from imminent collapse and needless crises that the current government had brought on the people.
