Makinde Meets Tinubu, Insists on Membership of PDP

Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared that he is not dumping the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite the recent wave of defections in his party.

Makinde said this after meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday.

When asked if he’s also considering joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), like his former colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Makinde said he is comfortable with the PDP.

“I am comfortable in the PDP,” he stated.

Makinde maintained that addressing Nigerian problems requires bi-partisan approach with contributions from all political parties in the interest of the country.

“We may have issues in this country where you need a bipartisan approach, where there won’t be an issue of APC talking alone or PDP talking alone; where we will have to look at what is the best foot forward in the interest of our nation. So, when you get to that junction, you need everybody on board,” he said.

The Oyo governor arrived at the Aso Villa shortly after Plateau State governor, Caleb Mutfwang, who recently defected from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Both governors were received separately and proceeded to the president’s office.

Makinde was a key 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 had violated its informal zoning arrangement by presenting a northern candidate after the eight-year tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who is also from the North.

The group maintained that power should rotate to the South in the interest of fairness and national cohesion.

During the 2023 presidential election, Makinde and other members of the G5 openly worked against the PDP candidate and supported Tinubu, who eventually won. 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.