Former governorship candidate of National Interest Party (NIP) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Hon. Bolanle Aminat Sarumi-Aliyu (BASA), has accused Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, of betraying her trust after allegedly promising to support her political ambition but failing to deliver when it mattered most.
BASA made the revelation while speaking in an interview with broadcaster Edmond Obilo in Ibadan, where she detailed her political journey and her experience with the governor ahead of the 2023 elections.
The politician, who contested the 2019 governorship election under the platform of the National Interest Party (NIP), said she never stepped down for Makinde or any other candidate despite rumours at the time.
“I didn’t step down for Governor Seyi Makinde, Adelabu, or anybody. Weeks before the election, when political giants like Senator Lanlehin and Senator Sarafadeen stepped down, rumours spread that I had too. But I never stepped down because I had my own mission and goal. I believed I would make the best governor in this country,” she stated.
BASA explained that after her party, NIP, was deregistered by INEC along with over 80 others, she decided to join the PDP and subsequently met with Governor Makinde, where both reached an understanding.
“I told him I would support his mission, but I also asked for his support to contest for Senate or House of Representatives in 2023. He assured me of his backing, saying women were not enough in politics and promising to ensure at least three women would get tickets to the Federal House and three to the State Assembly. On that basis, he appointed me as Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters in 2020,” BASA said.
She added that working with the governor was initially rewarding, but as the 2023 primaries drew closer, his promises were not kept.
“I gave my sweat, blood, and resources to work for him because the salary was nothing compared to what I spent. One year before the primaries, I reminded him of his promise, but he kept telling me to relax. By then, more political giants were coming in, spending money, and I could see things weren’t right,” she recalled.
According to her, three days before the primaries, she had already resigned from her position as SSA to contest, only to be sidelined.
“In the end, he abandoned me. My cousin emerged as the PDP candidate for Ibadan North Federal Constituency. The governor dumped our local government and didn’t support me, despite promising me for over two years,” she lamented.
BASA further alleged that while Governor Makinde intervened and secured tickets for aspirants in other constituencies, he refused to do the same for Ibadan North.
“I watched him give tickets to candidates in other places. For instance, he insisted on Agboworin returning in Ibadan North-East because he was doing well. But when it came to Ibadan North, he claimed there was no consensus and pushed us to primaries. I told him I wasn’t interested because that meant I had no chance. That was how he disappointed and abandoned me and my local government,” she concluded.
