Resign now or we remove you, PDP tells Oyo dep gov

The Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Deputy Governor of the state, Engr Rauf Olaniyan, to resign his position after he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Olaniyan left PDP following insinuations that Governor Seyi Makinde was planning to pick another person as running mate for the 2023 general elections.

Olaniyan was reported to have said, “Even though I have left the PDP, I am still the deputy governor.”

But the PDP in the state expressed displeasure over the comment and urged the deputy governor to relinquish his position.

The party, in a statement by its spokesperson in the state, Hakeem Olatunji, threatened that it would resort to legal means to remove him from office if he failed to quit.

The PDP spokesman said, “Oyo people did not vote for a PDP/APC joint ticket; they voted entirely for a PDP mandate.

“It is only when you contest election as an independent candidate and win and then decide to move to any political party of your choice that you become the owner of the votes cast by the electorate. Unfortunately, Olaniyan wants to eat his cake and still have it.

“The Oyo PDP, which is the rightful owner of the mandate, will retrieve it in no distant time using every available legal means if Olaniyan fails to humbly resign as a gentleman with his new move.

“Our position is simple and very clear on this matter, and as a matter of legal implication, the votes in any election in Nigeria are for political parties, and not candidates.”