Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has taken a swipe at the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, accusing him of disrupting the peace of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and plunging the party into prolonged internal turmoil.
Makinde made the remarks in apparent response to Wike’s recent comments expressing interest in developments within the Oyo State chapter of the PDP.
Speaking in a metaphor-laden statement, Makinde likened Wike to a “vagabond” whose actions, he said, destabilised the party.
“In Yorubaland, we say that if you see a house or compound that is peaceful, the vagabonds in that house have not grown up,” Makinde said.
“The vagabonds in the PDP grew up in 2015; they had their time. Ten years later, they returned to practise their vagabondry in the PDP. But they were expelled in November 2025. So there are no more vagabonds in the PDP.”
Though Makinde did not mention Wike by name, the comments were widely interpreted as a direct jab at the former Rivers State governor, who has been at the centre of ongoing tensions within the opposition party.
Wike had earlier spoken at a recent PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, where he declared his interest in the affairs of the Oyo State chapter of the party, insisting that his concern was driven by the need to protect the PDP’s unity and survival.
“Let me state clearly: I am interested in the survival and success of this party. I am also interested in what is happening in the Oyo State PDP. That is all I am interested in,” Wike said.
Since the 2023 general elections, the PDP has been grappling with deep internal divisions that analysts say threaten its cohesion and electoral prospects ahead of the 2027 polls.
Several party stakeholders have accused Wike of playing a central role in the crisis, alleging that his actions and prolonged disagreements with key PDP leaders have fuelled factionalism, weakened party structures and undermined collective decision-making.
Wike, however, has consistently denied allegations of sabotage, maintaining that his interventions are aimed at strengthening the party rather than personal ambition.
The exchange underscores the lingering tensions within the PDP as it struggles to reposition itself as a credible opposition force ahead of the next general election.