Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has applauded Oyo residents who chanted his name at the campaign flag-off of Seyi Makinde, governor of the state.
On Thursday, four governors of the PDP from the southern part of Nigeria — Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ipeazu (Abia), and Nyesom Wike (Rivers) — were in Oyo to support Makinde.
While speaking, Wike told the crowd at Mapo Hall, where the rally took place, that they should vote for PDP candidates at all levels.
“Vote for Seyi, vote for PDP senators, vote for the house of reps (candidates), the other one (president), Seyi will come to you,” he said.
As he was emphasising that Makinde will tell them who to vote as president, the Rivers governor was disrupted by chants of “Atiku, Atiku”.
Reacting on Friday morning, Atiku said he heard the residents “loud and clear”, adding that he takes it as a “vote of confidence”.
“Oyo State, I heard you loud and clear yesterday. I take it warmly as a vote of confidence in me and our great party, Peoples Democratic Party. You proved that my love for the Pace-Setter State over the years is not in vain,” he wrote on Twitter.
“My promise to you is this: we shall work closely together in the mission to Recover Nigeria.”
Known as G5, the five PDP governors have been absent from the campaign rallies of Atiku and are demanding the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu as the national chairman of the party.
The demand for Ayu’s resignation is on the grounds that the party’s presidential candidate and national chairman cannot be from the same region.
The governors said they will reveal who they intend to support as president before the end of January.
