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A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has disclosed that elders in Ibadan land have intervened in the crisis over the review of the Olubadan chieftaincy dispute.
Makinde also revealed that he would not leave the PDP if he does not get the party’s governorship ticket in 2019.
Engr. Seyi Makinde who returned to PDP last month after dumping it in 2015 for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) where he ran for Oyo state governor, on Saturday gave a hint on his future in the PDP in 2019 and beyond.
Makinde in an interview on Ibadan-based Fresh FM on Saturday stated that he would remain in PDP even if he does not get the 2019 governorship ticket.
According to the former governorship aspirant, Makinde said all PDP leaders have now realized that they lost the 2011 and 2015 elections because they could not agree.
He said they have failed the people of Oyo State by failing to speak with one voice under the PDP.
His words: “We realized that we have failed the people. That is the drive for coming together now. So, it’s not going to be difficult for us to choose a candidate in 2019. We were all together before.”
On the crisis rocking Ibadan over the recent review of the Olubadan chieftaincy system, Makinde disclosed that elders in Ibadan land have intervened in the crisis, assuring that the dispute would not fester as the warring parties should soon reach a truce.
Recall that the review, which led to the emergence of 32 obas, 21 of whom have been crowned, has pitted the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Adetunji, against Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
But 10 of the 11 members of the Olubada-In-Council supported the review. They have been crowned as obas.
While the government insisted that the law empowers it to review the system, the monarch has gone to challenge the review in court in addition to a similar case filed by High Chief Rashidi Ladoja.
The dispute turned violent last week when some unknown gunmen attacked the Olubadan palace.