Governor of Oyo State, Oluseyi Makinde, has expressed strong confidence that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will withstand the current wave of defections and political challenges confronting it.
He said the party would emerge stronger as the leading opposition force and as the political platform Nigerians will continue to identify with, despite efforts by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to dominate the political space.
Makinde, who is also the Chairman of the Transportation Subcommittee of the 2025 PDP National Convention Organising Committee, made the remarks shortly after presiding over the inaugural meeting of the subcommittee in Abuja.
The forthcoming PDP National Convention, scheduled to hold on November 15–16, 2025, is a major event in the party’s political calendar, expected to produce a new crop of national officers and set the tone for its preparations toward the 2027 general elections.
The Train Has Moved
Addressing journalists at the PDP National Convention Media Centre after the meeting, Makinde declared that preparations for the Ibadan convention had fully commenced, noting that the presence of key party figures at the subcommittee’s inauguration was a clear signal that the party was determined to stay focused.
“As you probably saw downstairs, we had the Deputy Chairman of the National Convention Organising Committee, former Minister Taminu Turaki (SAN), with us. It’s a demonstration of the fact that the train has moved,” he said.
“Whoever is trying to stop a moving train is probably also trying to commit suicide. My advice is, no matter how highly placed, no matter what has transpired in the past, we don’t want to see anyone dead. Please don’t commit political suicide.”
Makinde emphasised that despite the challenges of defections and internal disagreements, the PDP remained a party with deep democratic roots and resilience, capable of surviving political storms.
Innovation in Transportation Logistics
Highlighting the work of his subcommittee, Makinde revealed that new strategies had been introduced to improve logistics for delegates and party members attending the convention. Drawing from his experience as Secretary of the 2021 PDP Convention Committee, he said the new approach would ensure a seamless transportation process.
“In the spirit of doing everything to put our party on the path Nigerians would love to see, no assignment is too small or too big. If they like, let them say I should clean the floor in Ibadan, for the sake of this party and democracy, I’ll gladly do it,” he said.
“This time, we’re not going to wait for delegates to arrive in Ibadan before we act. We’ll start from their states, manage their movement to Ibadan, and ensure their return after a successful convention.”
This logistical innovation, he explained, is part of efforts to make the 2025 convention the best in PDP’s history, both in planning and execution.
On Defections and Party Factions
Makinde fielded several questions from journalists regarding the state of the PDP, including whether his “moving train” metaphor was targeted at factions such as the Wike or Dan Orbih groups and whether the party should proceed with the convention amid rumours of imminent defections by some of its governors, including a member of the convention planning committee.
He responded categorically, “Am I talking to any faction within the PDP? My answer is no. We have a party that has gone through the full cycle. We’ve been in government since 1999, we governed, we lost power in 2015, and we’ve remained in opposition since then. Challenges will come and go, but for us as leaders, organising the party is not the end in itself; the end is for Nigerians to have democracy and a party they can relate to,” he explained.
He dismissed fears that defections would derail the party, stressing that the will of Nigerians remains the ultimate political determinant.
“If you’re saying somebody is defecting, our house is not in order; democracy is about conflict and conflict resolution. We must be happy that we have a party that refuses to be distracted and stays focused on what the Nigerian people want. Do Nigerians want a one-party state? From the last time I checked, the answer is no. They want multiparty democracy. That’s exactly what we’re doing in PDP. The only time I’ll be concerned is when hunger itself defects to APC — that’s when we’ll worry.”
Discipline and Litigation
Makinde also addressed issues of party discipline and the legal actions by some members aimed at stopping the convention. He said while no political party should condone indiscipline, the PDP must follow due process in addressing infractions. “Being a member of a political party is voluntary, and it means you’re ready to submit yourself to its constitution. Managing a political party is complex. Our constitution provides mechanisms for dealing with issues. Democracy is not like the military, where decisions are taken with immediate effect. The wheel of discipline is rotating, maybe not fast, but surely. People will get what they deserve.”
On National Politics and Governance
On the performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, especially against the backdrop of the economic indicators, rising poverty, and persistent borrowing. Makinde declined to engage in what he described as “propaganda politics,” insisting that Nigerians were fully aware of their realities. “When I contested in 2018–2019, you won’t find a clip of me saying the government has not done this or that. Nigerians are not blind. They know. Our task as PDP is not to complain; it’s to show Nigerians what we will do differently, in black and white, and be held accountable for it,” he said.
Ambition vs Party Survival
Makinde dismissed the speculation that his willingness to participate actively and host the National Convention is due to his personal ambition for 2027.
“I’m old enough to set an agenda for myself. But first, we must have a party before anyone can have an ambition. Our focus is to ensure that Oyo State hosts the best national convention ever. That is the priority now,” he clarified.