We won’t allow anyone rig 2023 election, Makinde assures voters

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde on Sunday assured Nigerians that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not allow politicians to rig the 2023 general elections.

Makinde stated this while speaking at the church service marking the beginning of the 2022 Ibadan Cultural Festival Week’ held at the St. Peters Anglican Church, Aremo, Ibadan.

While urging the people to participate in election processes by voting wisely, he added that votes will count with the new law in place.

Makinde also called on clerics and residents of the state to continue to pray for his administration.

He said: “Let me also use this opportunity to inform those who have been praying for our administration not to relent. INEC timetable is out and it is about time we took the decision on the direction where we want Oyo State and Nigeria to face for the next four years.

“I want to urge us to take our stand and not think our votes would not count this time around. What I know is, there will be changes. Gone are the days that some people will falsify election results at collation centres. So, be vigilant and participate in the electoral process because if you don’t participate, you won’t be bold to ask how the processes have gone.”

The governor said that if his administration did not resolve the crisis surrounding the stool, Ibadan will continue to experience the same challenges each time a new Olubadan is to be installed.

“Yes, it took us some time to install the new Olubadan of Ibadanland. If not for the challenges we faced, the Ibadan traditional system is such that the process of installation would take only one or two weeks. And when we critically looked into those challenges, we discovered that if we did not resolve them just as we have done, we will continue to experience the same challenges every time we have to install Olubadan.

“So, with your support, we have been able to put Ibadan’s traditional system back on track.”