Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is well and alive, dismissing critics’ claims that the party is dead.
He insisted that the PDP remains strong and prepared to surprise its critics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Makinde spoke at the Southwest PDP Stakeholders’ Meeting held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Friday.
The stakeholders’ meeting attracted PDP leaders and political office holders from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, and Ekiti states.
Those in attendance included the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Debo Ogundoyin; PDP House of Representatives members from Oyo State; former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; National Secretary of the PDP, Taofeek Arapaja; Chairman of the PDP in the Southwest, Kamorudeen Ajisafe; and former Ogun State governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, among others.
The party leaders also received some defectors from the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP.
Addressing the gathering, Makinde said the turnout of party members, as well as the defectors, had proved those who declared the PDP a dead political party wrong.
“I can assure you that the PDP is well and alive. Whoever thinks otherwise will be surprised beyond their imagination,” the governor said.
He urged party leaders and members across the region to remain united and committed at the grassroots level, emphasizing the importance of strengthening the party’s structures within communities, wards, and local governments.
“So, my charge to you is, please hold your communities, hold your wards, hold your local governments, and it will be well with us,” he added.
Makinde also encouraged party members to remain faithful and loyal, expressing optimism about the PDP’s future.
While welcoming Makinde and other party leaders, Ladi Adebutu said the PDP has proven its detractors wrong, insisting that the party remains united.
“Let’s remain firm in the PDP. We now have structures from the ward to the national level.
“So, we have nothing to fear,” Adebutu said.
