Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has stressed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will not descend to what he described as the “gutter level” of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, while assuring that the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) will take firm positions on zoning and other critical issues when it convenes on Monday.
Makinde made the remarks on Thursday in Lagos during a stakeholders’ meeting of the PDP zoning committee for the South.
When asked if discussions on micro-zoning had taken place, the governor explained that decisions would be taken collectively at the NEC meeting. “A decision is coming, and it is an NEC decision. This consultative meeting is not something that is statutory in the constitution of PDP. But democracy is inclusivity, reaching out and ensuring that all stakeholders are carried along, which is what we’ve done today,” he said.
Pressed further on when a final decision could be expected, Makinde responded: “NEC is on Monday. Today is Thursday. Our NEC is on Monday; you will definitely have a decision.”
On the possibility of the South producing the next presidential candidate, the Oyo governor emphasized that the immediate priority was the unity and survival of the PDP, not power rotation. “We haven’t even gotten there. We need to have a party first before you start talking about presidential candidates. If we don’t have a party, anything that you’re trying to do will fall flat. So our efforts right now are directed towards having a united PDP that Nigerians will be proud of and again will believe in,” Makinde declared.
The governor maintained that the PDP is focused on rebuilding itself to regain the trust of Nigerians. “We have just finished the consultative meeting of the PDP zoning committee for the South. The South has taken far-reaching decisions, and in the days ahead leading to our NEC, wider consultations will also take place. We are sure that those who have been saying PDP is dead, at least with the calibre of people you’ve seen here — sitting governors, former governors, leaders, elders, the former Senate President, and the BoT chairman—are all committed to PDP reclaiming its rightful position in Nigeria.”
Makinde highlighted the attendance of Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun, who joined remotely, and Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu, who was represented by his deputy. Also present were BoT chairman Adolphus Wabara, several senators and House of Representatives members, as well as 12 out of 17 southern states represented in the zoning committee.
He stressed that while politics cannot achieve 100% consensus, the party is committed to ongoing dialogue. “Consultation means you keep reaching out. We’re trying to get all stakeholders, all tendencies in the PDP together so that we can give a credible alternative to Nigerians in the years ahead,” he said.
Responding to Wike’s remarks on the status of South-South zonal chairman, Dan Orbih, Makinde stated: “Personally, when people go low, or they go into the gutters, I don’t go with them.”
The governor further promised reconciliation efforts with aggrieved members. “We will reach out to them. That is democracy. I can disagree with people, but there shouldn’t be anything personal here. It should be about what we are giving to Nigerians because they are watching. In Oyo State, they showed last Saturday that PDP is not dead. In most other places of the 12 states, PDP came second in each of those. It’s an indication that if we continue to work hard, if we continue to bring our people together, Nigerians will really start listening to us.”
Other prominent PDP figures at the Lagos meeting included former Akwa Ibom governor Udom Emmanuel, former PDP deputy national chairman Bode George, Senator Ben Obi, and several southern leaders of the party.
What you should know
Governor Seyi Makinde has declared that the PDP will not engage in public spats with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, saying the party’s focus is on survival and unity.
He revealed that the PDP NEC will take decisive action on zoning and other issues at its Monday meeting. Southern PDP stakeholders, including governors, BoT members, senators, and former leaders, met in Lagos to consolidate positions ahead of the NEC session.
Makinde insisted that the party is working to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative, stressing that reconciliation and inclusivity remain the backbone of the PDP’s strategy.
