Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has urged leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to put aside differences and work together to “salvage Nigeria” from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Speaking during the inauguration of the Olusoji Adagunodo Zonal Secretariat in Ibadan, Makinde emphasized the importance of unity within the party as Nigeria heads toward the 2027 general elections.
Makinde made it clear that he sees the 2027 election as a battle between the APC and the Nigerian people, rather than between the APC and PDP. “The next election will be APC versus Nigerians. It is not even about APC versus PDP,” he said. He encouraged PDP members to unite their efforts, strengthen the party base, and focus on the bigger goal of addressing the nation’s challenges. “Let us do our own bit to unite our party, unite our base, and let the people of Nigeria speak,” he added.
Addressing concerns about internal party issues, Makinde dismissed claims that the APC might be deliberately stirring conflicts within opposition ranks. Instead, he encouraged PDP leaders to take responsibility for resolving internal problems. “If you are accusing the ruling party that they are the ones sponsoring crises in other parties so there will be no opposition in 2027, my position is there are certain things that you have under your control,” he said. “Let us all work together and unite our base; that is all we need to do.”
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Makinde also mentioned that his own future political decisions would be made independently. He hinted at the importance of prioritizing the needs of Nigerians in determining the next leadership. “Nigerians will be the determinant of the next leadership of the country,” he noted, encouraging party members to focus on collective progress rather than personal ambitions.
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, who also attended the event, echoed Makinde’s call for unity within the PDP. Adeleke urged party members to leave behind past divisions and concentrate on strengthening the party’s administrative and operational structures. “We must forget the past of division and unite for the good of our dear party,” Adeleke said. He added, “It is better for us to fight each other inside the Government House than outside. We must refocus attention on building strong administrative operational structures.”
The event highlighted a shared resolve among PDP leaders to rebuild the party and foster unity as a means of presenting a strong opposition front in the coming elections. The call for collaboration is seen as a crucial step toward achieving stability within the PDP and challenging the APC’s hold on power. As the 2027 elections approach, Makinde’s and Adeleke’s remarks signal a renewed emphasis on unity within the PDP as a strategy for gaining public support and addressing national issues.