“Let Hunger Decamp First” — Makinde Tackles Defection Drama

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has delivered a scathing critique of the current political landscape, warning that the 2027 general elections will not be about party defections, but about the suffering endured by ordinary Nigerians.

Speaking during the official inauguration of the newly elected Southwest Zonal Executive of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the Soji Adagunodo House in Ibadan on Wednesday, Makinde dismissed concerns about the wave of defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC), including those involving prominent governors.

“People have been asking us what will become of the PDP with all the defections. I tell them clearly — we will not be bothered until hunger has decamped to the APC,” the governor stated.

Makinde, one of the PDP’s most prominent southern voices, said the real opposition in 2027 will not be between political parties, but between the ruling class and the masses battling poverty and hunger.

“There is hunger in the land,” he said. “And the majority of the people that are hungry will determine what 2027 would look like.”

He urged PDP supporters to remain focused on building a party that stays connected to the grassroots rather than chasing political elites crossing party lines for personal gain.

“Don’t be bothered. If any governors like, let them decamp. We will stay with the people of Nigeria,” Makinde declared, drawing loud applause from party members in attendance.

The governor also addressed critics who claim the PDP builds individuals instead of institutions. He pointed to the party’s ability to hold consistent internal meetings and sustain structures even after losing federal power in 2015.

“As strong as APC claims to be, it hasn’t held a zonal congress in the Southwest. This is a party that has only held one NEC meeting since the current administration took office,” he said. “Meanwhile, the PDP is preparing for its 300th NEC meeting. That’s the difference.”

Makinde closed with a bold assertion aimed at re-energizing party faithful and casting the 2027 election as a referendum on leadership and economic hardship:
“2027 will not be APC versus PDP. It will be APC versus the hungry people of Nigeria.”

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