Seyi Makinde, Oyo state governor, says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expelled elements he described as “vagabonds”, insisting they no longer have control over the party.
Background
In November 2025, a faction of the PDP backed by Makinde and Bala Mohammed, the Bauchi governor, convened a national convention in Ibadan and elected a new set of national officers with Kabiru Turaki as chairman.
The convention was preceded by a series of conflicting court judgements, with some rulings from federal high courts in Abuja halting the event over alleged breaches of party constitution and electoral laws.
However, the Oyo state high court in Ibadan cleared the PDP to proceed with the exercise and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor the event..
The faction led by Nyesom Wike, FCT minister, which opposed the convention, would later form a parallel NWC, a board of trustees (BoT), and NEC.
In December, INEC rejected the request to recognise the Turaki-led NWC, citing multiple court verdicts.
In a ruling on Friday, Uche Agomoh, the presiding judge, declined the Turaki-led PDP’s request for an order to compel INEC to recognise the national convention.
‘No More Vagabonds In Pdp’
Speaking on Tuesday during the inauguration of the newly built PDP secretariat in Ibadan, Makinde said the “vagabonds” in the PDP were expelled in November 2025.
“In Yoruba land, we always say that if you see a house or a compound that is peaceful, the vagabond in that house has not grown up,” he said.
“The vagabond in PDP; they grew up in 2015. They had their time and 10 years — a decade — they practised their ‘vagabondcy’ in the PDP.
”But they have been expelled in November 2025, so no more vagabonds in PDP.”
Makinde said the activities of those he criticised could be traced to the period PDP lost power at the federal level.
“So whatever it is that they are doing, you should be able to trace it back to their origin,” he said.
“In 2015, PDP lost power at the federal level; there was a gap in the leadership; otherwise, those vagabonds will never have been able to take hold of PDP.”
The governor said he was previously aligned with the group but has since distanced himself.
“And let me confess, I came into government in 2019, and towards 2023, I was yoked with them, but now I’ve repented, I’m now born again,” he said.
Makinde said allowing the group to dominate the party again would be unacceptable.
He also accused unnamed actors of spreading falsehoods against the party.
“But for them to hold PDP for another party to be in power, it is no no,” he said.
“Our leaders that were here to give us the goodwill messages kept hammering on something.
“They kept talking about the truth, the truth and the truth. And what I will say is, lies. They can continue peddling their lies for 20 years. But the day truth comes out, that is the end of the lies.”
Makinde expressed confidence in the judiciary to resolve ongoing legal disputes involving the party.
He said the various court cases involving the PDP would eventually be resolved.
“I have absolute trust in Nigeria’s judiciary. I know they will do the needful,” he said.
“So all these court cases… they will all come together at some point. And the judiciary, being the last hope of the common man, will give justice to PDP”.
