Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State disclosed on Monday that Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, neither called nor sent a text message to express condolences following an explosion in the state capital a few weeks ago.
Makinde made this revelation during a visit by Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, who came to commiserate with him over the incident.
The governor acknowledged a call from President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but expressed disappointment that Atiku, a fellow party member, did not reach out.
He emphasized the need for leaders to recognize the appropriate times for politics, governance, and human compassion.
Makinde’s public statement highlighted a perceived lack of empathy from Atiku, possibly stemming from past political differences between them, including the call by Makinde and other PDP governors for Atiku or the then-National Chairman of the party, Iyiorcha Ayu, to step down ahead of the last general election due to regional considerations.
Some political analysts suggest that these differences may have contributed to Atiku’s electoral defeat, as the governors reportedly supported the eventual winner, Tinubu of the APC.
