Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has declared that no individual or group would be allowed to undermine the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to pave the way for another party to take power.

 

The governor made the declaration on Tuesday during the commissioning and formal handover of a new Oyo State PDP Secretariat, which he donated to the party. The secretariat, named after a former state chairman, Chief Omokunmi Mustapha, was handed over to the national leadership of the PDP.

 

Makinde recalled that in 2024, he also donated a secretariat to the South-West PDP in honour of a former National Vice Chairman (South-West) of the party, the late Hon. Soji Adagunodo.

 

Speaking at the ceremony, which was attended by members of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) led by the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, as well as members of the Board of Trustees, Makinde said some individuals took advantage of the PDP’s loss of power at the federal level in 2015 to hijack and weaken the party.

 

According to him, such individuals had grown bold and were determined to destroy the PDP from within, a development that led to their expulsion at the party’s convention held in Ibadan last November.

 

He likened the group to “illegitimate children” who had grown wings and were bent on holding the party hostage, stressing that the PDP would no longer tolerate such actions.

 

The governor expressed confidence that the judiciary would eventually resolve all legal issues affecting the party and ensure that justice prevails.

 

“All these matters will coalesce at some point, and the judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man, will find a legal resolution in favour of the PDP,” Makinde said.

 

He added that the lies and shenanigans of those seeking to hold the party down had persisted for years, but maintained that truth would ultimately prevail over falsehood. He reaffirmed his steadfast commitment to the PDP and pledged to continue standing firm with the party.

 

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Oyo State PDP, Hon. Dayo Ogungbenro, described the new secretariat as further proof of Governor Makinde’s leadership qualities and dedication to the party.

 

Ogungbenro said the governor had delivered people-oriented projects and good governance across Oyo State, urging residents to reciprocate by voting massively for the PDP in the 2027 general elections.

 

The event attracted several party leaders and dignitaries, including former Kano State Governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau; Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barrister Abdul-Raheem Bayo Lawal; Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin; PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN; former Deputy Governor of Oyo State and PDP National Secretary, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; and former Deputy Governor, Engr. Hamid Gbadamosi.

 

Others in attendance were PDP National Vice Chairmen for the South-East and South-South, Hon. Alli Odefa and Chief Emma Ogidi respectively; members of the House of Representatives, Hon. Fola Oyekunle, Hon. Shina Oyedeji and Hon. Abass Adigun (Agboworin); Chief of Staff to the Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; PDP South-West executives, local government chairmen, commissioners and other party stakeholders.