Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has ruled out any plan to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), despite recent meetings with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and a growing wave of defections from the opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Makinde made this clear on Thursday after a closed-door meeting with President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja. Speaking with journalists, the governor said he remained firmly in the PDP and was not considering a move to any other party.
“No, I’m comfortable in the PDP,” Makinde said when asked directly if he was planning to defect.
His statement comes at a time when several top politicians, including governors and lawmakers, have left the PDP for the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections. This development has raised concerns about the future of the opposition party and fuelled speculation about possible defections by remaining PDP leaders.
Makinde explained that his visit to President Tinubu had nothing to do with party politics. According to him, the meeting was focused on governance and national issues that require cooperation between leaders, regardless of political party.
“The President is the President of Nigeria, not the President of APC. And we’re talking about governance here. So I came to discuss with the President on some governance issues, basically,” he said.
The governor dismissed claims that his recent disagreements with some PDP leaders and his meeting with the President were signs that he was preparing to join the ruling party. He insisted that working with the Federal Government on national matters does not mean abandoning his party.
Makinde stressed that Nigeria’s democracy depends on having a strong opposition that can hold the ruling party accountable and offer alternative ideas. He said this was especially important as the country looks ahead to the 2027 elections.
“We may have issues in this country where you need bipartisan approach, where it won’t be an issue of maybe APC talking alone or PDP talking alone. When you get to that junction, you need everybody on board,” he said.
He added that cooperation on governance issues should not be mistaken for political compromise or defection.
“There’s nothing that I’ve said in the past that says we’re not enjoying a harmonious relationship. You know, politics is politics. We belong to different political parties. But Nigeria is a project that all Nigerians must be concerned about, the welfare of our people,” Makinde explained.
According to him, issues such as national security, poverty, and economic development go beyond party lines and require joint efforts from leaders at all levels.
“Those are things that have no coloration of a party. As leaders, whether President or governor of a state, those are things that we have to work together, consult with one another, and ensure that we can make life one shade better for our people,” he said.
Makinde’s comments come at a difficult time for the PDP, which has seen a sharp decline in its political strength since losing power at the federal level in 2015. In recent months, the party has experienced one of the highest rates of defections in its history.
Since 2025, several PDP governors have crossed over to the APC, citing various reasons including internal party crisis, electoral uncertainty, and the need to align with the Federal Government.
In April 2025, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, defected to the APC along with his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, and the entire PDP structure in the state. Okowa, who was the PDP’s vice-presidential candidate in the 2023 election, said the move was necessary to attract federal support for development projects.
Two months later, in June 2025, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, also joined the APC. He said he could no longer guarantee electoral victory under the PDP platform.
In October 2025, Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, announced his defection to the APC, describing President Tinubu as “a partner in purpose.” The trend continued in the following months.
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, left the PDP for the Accord Party in December 2025, while Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, moved to the APC around the same period. Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, also defected to the APC later in December.
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, joined the APC in November 2025, blaming what he described as the “terminal decline” of the PDP.
As a result of these defections, the PDP now controls only four states—Adamawa, Bauchi, Oyo, and Zamfara—down from 16 states in 2015. The party’s presence in the National Assembly has also reduced. PDP senators dropped from 36 at the inauguration of the 10th Senate in 2023 to 23 by the end of 2025.
Despite these losses, Makinde said he believed in the importance of rebuilding the party and maintaining a clear opposition voice in the country.
The Oyo governor’s visit to President Tinubu also drew attention because of ongoing public debate over the Federal Government’s response to the January 2024 explosion in Bodija, Ibadan, which claimed lives and destroyed properties.
Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, had alleged that Makinde received N50 billion from the Federal Government as relief funds for victims of the explosion but failed to properly account for how the money was spent.
Makinde addressed the allegation, clarifying that while the Federal Government promised N50 billion, only N30 billion was actually released to the state.
He said N4.5 billion of the released funds was paid directly to victims of the explosion as support, while the remaining amount was used for reconstruction projects. These included road repairs, security improvements in the affected area, and plans for a memorial to honour those who lost their lives.
The governor said transparency remained a priority in his administration and insisted that the funds were used strictly for their intended purposes.