Atiku hails Oyo residents for chanting his name at Makinde's rally

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has reacted to an incident that happened at the flag-off of Governor Seyi Makinde's second term campaign rally where chants of the former Vice President's name rented the air.

On Thursday, January 5, 2023, Makinde was joined by his colleagues in the G5 group which include Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Nyesom Wike (Rivers) for a rally at the Mapo Hall in Ibadan.

While addressing the crowd at the rally, Wike urged Oyo residents to 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,” the Rivers Governor said.

As he was emphasising that Makinde will inform the supporters who to vote for in the presidential election, Wike was rudely disrupted by massive chants of “Atiku, Atiku..”.

Meanwhile, reacting to the incident at the Mapo Hall rally, Atiku in a post on his Twitter page on Friday, December 6, 2023, said he heard the residents “loud and clear”, adding that he takes it as a “vote of confidence”.

Atiku's tweet read: "Oyo State, I heard you loud and clear yesterday. I take it warmly as a vote of confidence in me and our great party, @OfficialPDPNig. You proved that my love for the Pace-Setter State over the years is not in vain.

"My promise to you is this: we shall work closely together in the mission to Recover Nigeria - AA"

Pulse reports that the G5 has been on a warpath with Atiku and the PDP leadership over the continued stay of Iyorchia Ayu as the party's National Chairman.

The group has made it clear that it won't be part of Atiku's campaign, and even pulled out of the PDP presidential campaign council last year.

Wike, who is the leader of the group, had declared last December that the five aggrieved Governors will announce their preferred presidential candidate before the end of January.