2023: Makinde drops deputy amid rumoured rift

 

Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, has dumped Rauf Olaniyan, his deputy, ahead of the 2023 governorship election in the state.

 

In his place, the governor has picked Bayo Lawal, a former attorney-general in the state.

 

There has been a rift between the governor and his deputy for more than a year, with leaders in the deputy’s camp accusing Makinde of breaching an agreement made before the last election that brought them in.

 

They also alleged that Makinde did not involve Olaniyan in the affairs of the state.

 

Olaniyan was a governorship aspirant in the African Democratic Congress before the party entered into an alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the 2019 election.

 

By virtue of the alliance, it was agreed that Olaniyan would drop his governorship ambition and become the running mate to Makinde.

 

There have been reports that the deputy governor would leave the PDP but he recently debunked the rumours, stating that he would remain in the party.

 

Lawal, Makinde’s new preference for deputy governor, is from Kishi in Irepo local government area of the state.

 

He served as the state attorney-general in the administration of the late Lam Adesina. He also served as the executive chairman of Oyo state housing corporation under Makinde.