Oyo Governorship Election: Why APC’s Folarin Suffered Humiliating Defeat as INEC Declares Makinde Winner
On Saturday, March 18, 2023, the good people of Oyo state headed to the poll and, through their votes, decided who would eventually rule them for the next four years.
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It was a shocking and surprising development in Oyo state as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, March 19, 2023, declared Seyi Makinde, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the winner of the election.
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Makinde was returned as the governor of Oyo state after defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Teslim Folarin, by an extensive margin.
The PDP governor polled 563,756 votes to defeat APC's Folarin, who scored 256,685 votes, while Adebayo Adelabu polled a total vote of 38,357.
INEC confirmed Makinde's win
The final result of the Oyo state governorship election, as read by the INEC returning officer, states:
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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,” Bamire said.
Key reasons Teslim Folarin lost the guber election to Makinde
As Makinde celebrates his re-election to rule the good people of Oyo state for the second term, Legit.ng compiles critical factors that led to Folarin's defeat in the just concluded polls.
1. The Power of Incumbency
The power and access given to a sitting governor played out in the just concluded election in Oyo state.
Makinde, the incumbent governor, played his cards well and calmly took 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 are often defined.
However, Makinde's moves were unknown to many, which worked against Folarin, who was busy working to ensure Makinde was embarrassed. The poll's outcome serves as a lesson to the APC candidate in the state and beyond not to test the power of the man sitting in the office.
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 party in Oyo state.
This is as Adelabu decamped to the Accord Party and clinched the ticket to run as the governorship candidate in the just concluded 2023 governorship election.
This affected Folarin because Adelabu was a vital member of the party and a force to reckon with in the state's political arena. As such, his votes, which would have been given to Folarin during the poll, affected the APC's result as it was shared between the APC and the Accord Party.
3. Party Dynamics
The opposition party, the APC in Oyo state, definitely had a strong base, but the party's governorship candidate, Teslim Folarin, was not strong because he experienced a significant defeat even in his polling unit.
4. Seyi Makinde’s Performance
Governor Seyi Makinde embarked on developmental projects in the state, earning him more recognition in significant areas and love from the people of Oyo.
5. The People Factor
The race to Agodi Government House was serious and challenging, but the people of Oyo state did the unthinkable.
The development at the national level and the suffering inflicted by the APC-led administration made the people turn away from the ruling party and not support the party in the state. Hence they did not vote for the APC. Instead, they all lent their support to Makinde.
From the election on Saturday, March 18, to the results from the various polling centres in the state, it is evident that the people of Oyo state do not want the APC to take over.
Interestingly, the people of Oyo should be commended because they understand what governance means.
Source: Legit.ng
