A sharp line drawn inside the party
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is now free of internal disruption following the removal of figures he described as “vagabonds” who once wielded significant influence within the opposition party.
Makinde made the remarks on Tuesday during the unveiling of the Oyo State PDP secretariat in Ibadan, declaring that the party had entered a calmer phase after nearly a decade of internal turmoil.
“In Yoruba land, we say if a compound is peaceful, the vagabond there has not grown up,” Makinde said. “They grew up in 2015, had their time, and practised their vagabondry in the PDP for ten years. But they have been expelled.”
How a leadership vacuum changed the balance
The governor traced the party’s internal troubles to 2015, when the PDP lost power at the federal level and, according to him, experienced a leadership vacuum that allowed disruptive elements to gain prominence.
“In 2015, PDP lost power at the federal level. Otherwise, those vagabonds would never have been able to take hold of the party,” Makinde said, arguing that weak central authority created space for prolonged internal conflict.
He said the expulsion of the group in November 2025 marked a turning point, restoring internal order and reducing factional tension within the party.
A personal break from old alliances
Makinde also reflected on his own political positioning, admitting that he was previously aligned with the group he now criticises.
“Let me confess. I came into government in 2019, and towards 2023, I was yoked with them. But now, I’ve repented,” he said, distancing himself from the faction and rejecting any attempt by it to retain influence within the party.
The governor stressed that he would oppose any effort to allow the group to continue controlling the PDP, insisting that the party must move forward with renewed discipline.
“For them to hold PDP for another two years, no,” he said.
When reform meets factional memory
Makinde further distanced both himself and the Oyo State Government from the PDP’s internal legal disputes and national leadership battles, stating that governance responsibilities must remain separate from party litigation.
“The government has no interest in PDP lawyer states and no interest in PDP nationally,” he said, seeking to draw a boundary between state administration and party politics.
His remarks come amid ongoing legal and leadership disputes within the PDP, as rival factions continue to battle for control of the party’s national structure.
As 2027 calculations quietly take shape
Makinde’s comments signal a broader attempt by PDP governors to reset internal authority ahead of the next general election cycle. By framing recent expulsions as a cleansing process, party leaders appear eager to project stability after years of damaging internal conflict.
However, critics warn that rhetorical unity may not automatically translate into organisational cohesion, especially as unresolved factional loyalties continue to shape internal dynamics.
What internal discipline could determine
With opposition credibility already under strain, the PDP’s ability to enforce internal discipline without triggering fresh defections may prove decisive. If reforms consolidate authority, the party could regain strategic focus. If not, renewed infighting may once again weaken its standing as Nigerians begin to look toward 2027.
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