The latest desperate attempt by the APC propaganda machinery to manufacture a crisis around Governor ‘Seyi Makinde’s political movement has exposed the opposition’s growing frustration with a governor whose popularity remains strong and whose record of performance continues to resonate across Oyo State.
In a statement signed on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the report alleging panic meetings, mass disaffection and a crumbling political structure is not only false; it is a calculated mix of distortions, half-truths and outright fabrications aimed at creating a crisis where none exists.
Ordinarily, such a concoction would not deserve a response. However, it has become necessary to set the record straight and prevent the deliberate distortion of facts intended to mislead members of the public.
First, it is important to state that Governor Makinde’s leadership style has always been anchored on consultation, inclusiveness and engagement with stakeholders across political, professional and community divides. The governor does not require “secret meetings” to interact with members of his administration, party leaders or stakeholders committed to the growth and development of Oyo State.
It is equally important to note that no political party in a democracy is immune to movements of individuals from one platform to another. Politics is dynamic, and people make choices based on personal ambitions, interests and convictions. The APC’s attempt to sensationalise routine political movements only exposes its desperation to create a false narrative of momentum where none exists.
What APC propagandists deliberately failed to acknowledge is that political movements are not one-directional.
While a few individuals have chosen to pursue other political paths, many more leaders, stakeholders, professionals, youths and grassroots supporters continue to identify with and join the Allied People’s Movement (APM) because they can see and feel the impact of Governor Makinde’s people-centred policies and developmental agenda.
Indeed, for every individual who has chosen to leave the party or the administration, many more continue to identify with and join the APM across Oyo State.
The strength of a political movement is not measured by the noise surrounding isolated defections but by the confidence it continues to inspire among the people. By every reasonable measure, the Makinde political family remains vibrant, united and firmly connected to the aspirations of the people of Oyo State. Consequently, the people of the state remain resolute in their support for Governor Seyi Makinde and the candidates of the APM, whose vision and record of performance continue to resonate across the state.
What the authors of the report conveniently ignored is the fact that Governor Makinde’s administration continues to enjoy widespread acceptance because of its verifiable achievements across critical sectors, including infrastructure, education, healthcare, agribusiness, workers’ welfare, security and economic expansion.
Under Governor Makinde’s leadership, workers’ salaries are paid promptly, pension obligations are being addressed, strategic road projects are being executed across all geopolitical zones, healthcare infrastructure is being strengthened, and investments continue to flow into Oyo State. These are tangible achievements that the people can see and verify for themselves. They are not products of propaganda.
The claim that Governor Makinde is worried about the political future of the APM is equally absurd. The same administration being portrayed as weakened continues to attract support from individuals and groups who identify with its record of performance, competence and inclusive governance.
The public should also note that the report relies almost entirely on unnamed sources, unverifiable meetings and imaginary conversations. Not a single participant was identified, no evidence was presented and no effort was made to seek official clarification. That is not journalism; it is propaganda disguised as news.
Governor Makinde remains focused on governance and on fulfilling the mandate freely given to him by the people of Oyo State. As he has repeatedly stated, his priority is not succession politics but the consolidation of the gains already achieved and the continued development of the state.
The people of Oyo State are politically sophisticated and discerning. They can readily distinguish between genuine governance and the manufactured narratives of desperate politicians seeking relevance through misinformation.
Rather than expend their energy circulating fictional stories of panic, collapse and imaginary crises, APC leaders should explain to the people of Oyo State why, despite controlling the Federal Government, they have continued to struggle to offer a compelling alternative to the record of performance, stability and development that has become the hallmark of the Makinde administration.
No amount of propaganda, falsehood or wishful thinking can alter the reality. The facts on the ground speak louder than politically motivated speculation, and the people of Oyo State remain the ultimate judges of who has delivered on promises and who merely traffics in propaganda.