You are here: HomeNews2023 03 19Article 638864

General News of Sunday, 19 March 2023

Source: www.legit.ng

Oyo Elections: 5 reasons why APC’s Folarin suffered a humiliating defeat as INEC declares Makinde winner

The leading governorship candidates in Oyo The leading governorship candidates in Oyo

The good people of Oyo state on Saturday, March 18, 2023, headed to the poll and through their votes, decided the fate of who eventually rules them in the next four years.

It was a shocking yet surprising development in Oyo state as the Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday, March 19, 2023 declared Seyi Makinde, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the winner of the election.

Makinde was returned as the governor of Oyo state after defeating the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Teslim Folarin by a very wide margin.

The PDP governor polled a total of 563,756 votes to defeat APC's Foalrin who scored 256,685 votes.

"I, Adebayo Bamire, the returning officer, hereby, declare that Makinde Oluseyi of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and he is returned elected,” he announced.

Key reasons why Teslim Folarin lose the guber election to Makinde

As Makinde celebrates his reelection to rule the good people of Oyo state for the second term, Legit.ng compiles key factors that led to Folarin's major defeat in the just concluded polls;

1. The Power of Incumbency (Makinde’s factor)

The power and access given to a sitting governor played out in the just concluded election in Oyo state. Governor Seyi Makinde who is the incumbent governor played his cards well and calmly but more dangerous took on a silent path that eventually played out in his favour during the Saturday, March 18 election.

Nigerians are already used to politicians who make noise with their plans and their moves against the opponents during campaigns is often defined but for Makinde, his moves were unknown to many which worked out against Folarin who was busy working to ensure Makinde is embarrassed.

The outcome of the poll serves as a lesson to the APC candidate in the state and beyond not to test the power of the man sitting in POWER, it is quite dangerous to thread such path because he/ she will do all to ensure he remains on top and above oppponent.

2. Adebayo Adelabu dumped APC for Accord Party

The defection of Adebayo Adelabu, a strong member of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) was a big deal for the All Progressives Congress in the Oyo state. This is as Adelabu decamped to the Accord Party and clinched the ticket to run as the governorship candidate of the party in the just concluded 2023 governorship election in the state.

This affected Folarin because Adelabu was a strong member in the party and a force to reckon with in the state's political arena but his votes which would have been given to Folarin during the poll, affected the APC's result during the poll as it was now shared between the APC and the Accord Party.

3. Party dynamics

The opposition party, which is the APC in Oyo state definitely held a strong base but the party's governorship candidate, Teslim Folarin is not strong because he experienced a major defeat even in his polling unit.

4. Seyi Makinde’s Performance Governor

Seyi Makinde embarked on developmental projects in the state and these projects earned him more recognition in major areas in the state and love from the good people of Oyo.

5. The Peoples' factor

The race to the Agodi Government House was a serious yet tough one but the people of Oyo state did the unthinkable. The development at the national level, from the centre stage of the country, the sufferings inflicted by the APC-led administration made the people hated the ruling party therefore was not in support of the party in the state at all.

From the election on Satrurday, March 18, to the results from the various polling center in the state, it is very clear the people of Oyo state does not want the APC to take over Oyo.