Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has dismissed speculation about his possible defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying he remains comfortable in the party despite recent defections.
Makinde spoke on Thursday after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
When asked whether he was considering joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), following the defection of some PDP governors, Makinde said he had no such plans.
“I am comfortable in the PDP,” the governor stated.
He said addressing Nigeria’s challenges requires cooperation across party lines, stressing the importance of a bipartisan approach in the national interest.
“We may have issues in this country where you need a bipartisan approach, where it won’t be APC talking alone or PDP talking alone. We must look at what is best for the country. When you get to that junction, you need everybody on board,” Makinde said.
The Oyo governor arrived at the Presidential Villa shortly after Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, who recently defected from the PDP to the APC. Both governors were received separately before proceeding to meet the president.
Makinde was a prominent member of the group of five PDP governors, popularly known as the G5, who opposed the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 general election.
The G5 governors argued that the PDP breached its informal zoning arrangement by fielding a northern candidate after the eight-year tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari, also from the North. They insisted that power should rotate to the South in the interest of fairness and national unity.
During the 2023 presidential election, Makinde and other members of the G5 openly worked against the PDP candidate and supported Bola Tinubu, who went on to win the election.
Other members of the G5 included former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
