Pat Stevens/
Former senator for Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has stirred debate online after posting a witty remark about Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammed amid the changing political fortunes of the Peoples Democratic Party.
In a post on X, the outspoken politician wrote:
“Dear Makinde, if you call Bala on his MTN and the line is not going through, call his Airtel and if not going through try his Glo. If all lines not going through, you are OYO; On Your Own.”
The post quickly went viral because of its wordplay. In Nigerian slang, “OYO” means “on your own”, but it is also the name of the state governed by Makinde.
Many social media users described the remark as a rare political joke where geography itself becomes the punchline.
Beyond the humour, the comment has drawn attention to the shifting political landscape within the PDP. When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, the PDP controlled 13 state governments across Nigeria.
However, a series of defections and political realignments over the past two years has dramatically reduced that number.
Several governors elected on the party’s platform have moved to the ruling All Progressives Congress or other parties, weakening what was once Nigeria’s dominant opposition force.
The wave of defections has fuelled speculation about the future direction of some remaining PDP leaders.
In that context, Sani’s remark referencing Bauchi governor, Bala Mohammed, has been interpreted by some observers as a subtle hint at the possibility of further political movement.
Analysts say the former lawmaker is known for using satire to comment on national politics, and his post may simply reflect the uncertainty within opposition ranks rather than a prediction of imminent defections.
Still, the remark underscores how dramatically the PDP’s position has shifted since the 2023 elections.
From governing 13 states at the start of the Tinubu administration, the party’s influence among state governors has steadily declined as alliances and calculations ahead of the 2027 elections begin to reshape Nigeria’s political map.
For many Nigerians reacting online, however, the enduring appeal of Sani’s post lies in the humour itself: a political jab in which the governor of Oyo could be told he is “OYO”, or “on your own”, using the very name of his state as the punchline.
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