2023: Makinde drops deputy, picks former attorney-general as replacement

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde has dropped his deputy, Rauf Olaniyan as his running mate for the 2023 governorship election in the state.

A former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General in the State, Mr Bayo Lawal has now been picked by the governor as running mate.

Lawal, who was a commissioner in the government of late Alhaji Lam Adesina hails from Kishi in Irepo Local Government area of the state.

He is current the Chairman, Oyo State Housing Corporation.

It was learnt that Makinde and his deputy have been at logger heads for some time over allegation of marginalisation.

It was learnt that Olaniyan had complained severally that he was sidelined by the governor in the running of affairs of the state.

Olaniyan himself was a governorship aspirant on the platform of African Democratic Congress (ADC) before the party entered into an alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the 2019 election.

It was reportedly agreed that Olaniyan would drop his governorship ambition and become the running mate to Makinde.

Other members of ADC also joined the Makinde government as commissioners, special advisers and board members.