Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has firmly dismissed rumours suggesting he may be planning to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), insisting that he remains comfortable and committed to the opposition party.
Makinde made this known on Thursday while speaking with journalists at the State House, Abuja, during a visit to the Presidential Villa. Responding to questions about his political future in a video aired by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the governor was emphatic.
“No, no, no. I’m comfortable in the PDP,” he said.
The governor also stressed the importance of cooperation across party lines, noting that Nigeria’s challenges sometimes require a bipartisan approach rather than rigid party politics.
“There are moments when it shouldn’t be about APC speaking alone or PDP speaking alone. What matters is putting the nation’s interest first. When you reach that point, you need everyone on board,” Makinde added.
His comments came amid reports that President Bola Tinubu recently held separate meetings with Makinde and Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The two governors arrived at the State House at different times, with Mutfwang arriving around 3:00 p.m. and Makinde following shortly after at about 3:30 p.m.
The meetings are believed to be part of ongoing political consultations as key actors reposition themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections, amid widespread political realignments across the country.
Makinde remains one of the few sitting governors still in the PDP, despite a growing wave of defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The Oyo governor is also widely speculated to be nursing a presidential ambition and is seen by many as a potential contender for the PDP’s 2027 presidential ticket.
Meanwhile, Governor Mutfwang recently defected from the PDP to the APC, joining a list of opposition figures who have crossed over to the ruling party. Thursday’s visit marked his first publicly known meeting with President Tinubu since his defection.