Engr. Seyi Makinde, Governor of Oyo State, has reportedly stunned Gov. Godwin Obaseki to secure the position of Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
According to a report by theCable, Truth Live News learnt that the G5 governors outwitted Atiku’s camp by making Makinde NGF’s Vice Chairman.
Recall that the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) picked Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, governor of Kwara state, as its new chairman on Tuesday night, succeeding Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the outgoing governor of Sokoto state.
However, the intrigues that led to the appointment of Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo state, as the deputy chairman of one of Nigeria’s most powerful power blocs mostly went unnoticed.
Abdulrazaq, who is believed to be the preferred choice of Bola Tinubu, the president-elect, got the support of most of the 28 outgoing governors, especially those who hope to play a role in the incoming administration.
The real intrigues, however, surfaced in the choice of Makinde, a member of the PDP group of five (G5) governors, as the deputy chairman.
Before the meeting, there were moves by some pro-Atiku Abubakar governors to nominate Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo state, for the position.
The G5 — led by Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, with Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikepazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Makinde as members — formed a major opposition to Atiku in the 2023 presidential election and were believed to have contributed to the defeat of their flag bearer.
The war continued on a low-key level at the NGF meeting but insiders told TheCable that Makinde vs Obaseki was clearly going to be a no-contest.
“Most of the APC governors were with the G5 while two PDP governors were also going to support Makinde. It became glaring that the pro-Atiku governors were about to fight a lost battle, so they quietly jettisoned their move,” a governor who attended the meeting told TheCable.