Melaye urges Gov Makinde to support Atiku’s petition at election tribunal

Dino Melaye, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for governor in Kogi State, has challenged Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo State, to publicly support Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s nominee for president, at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal.

The governor, a PDP member, is largely believed to have backed President Bola Tinubu’s candidature, who ran on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform.

In the run-up to the February 25 presidential election, Makinde joined a group of five PDP governors known as the G5, who were upset by Atiku’s victory over a southerner in the party’s primaries.

With the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declaring Tinubu as the winner, Atiku and others have filed petitions at the tribunal to challenge the victory.

Speaking on Saturday at a retreat for PDP elected officials held in Bauchi State, the Oyo governor said, “We were through a gruelling election, and whether we want to admit it or not, we had issues amongst ourselves during the election, but you know what?

Also Read: Atiku’s witness claims he signed election result under duress in Kogi

“The healing process will have to start, and the healing process will start now. We must focus on things that will unite us. We must, as a matter of urgency, be forward-looking.”

Melaye redirected the governor’s remarks to him during the event’s question-and-answer session.

He urged Makinde to back Atiku’s assertion that the electoral process was tainted, saying that the action “will show that the healing has truly started.”

“I just want to start by appreciating the comment of Governor Seyi Makinde this morning, particularly where he said, ‘Healing starts now,’” he said.

“And the way to start that healing is, I would be glad if between now, next week, and two weeks that we’ll be at the tribunal, to see Governor Seyi Makinde walk into the tribunal venue and sit down, to support the party, our candidate.”

According to the Kogi PDP candidate, it would demonstrate to Nigerians that the healing has started and show the world the PDP is united.

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