Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State says members of Peoples Democratic Party he referred to as “vagabonds” who once held sway, have been forced out of the party.
Makinde stated this on Tuesday at the inauguration of the Oyo State PDP secretariat in Ibadan, noting that the party has now overcome internal crises and distractions.
Explaining the recent changes within the PDP, the governor cited a Yoruba proverb to underline his point, saying, “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.”
According to Makinde, a group rose to prominence within the PDP after the party lost power at the federal level in 2015, a period he said created a leadership vacuum.
“In 2015, PDP lost power at the federal level. There was a gap in the leadership. Otherwise, those vagabonds would never have been able to take hold of PDP,” Makinde said.
The governor noted that the group dominated the party for nearly a decade before being removed from its affairs.
“They grew up in 2015, they had their time, and for 10 years, a decade, they practised their vagabondry in the PDP. But they have been expelled in November 2025. So, there is no more vagabond in PDP,” he stated.
The governor also distanced both himself and the government from the party’s internal legal disputes and national leadership issues.
“Finally, the government has no interest in PDP states and no interest in PDP nationally,” he said.
Reflecting on his political journey, Makinde admitted that he was previously aligned with the group but has since withdrawn his support.
“Let me confess. I came into government in 2019, and towards 2023, I was yoked with them. But now, I’ve repented,” he said.
Makinde stressed that he would not support any attempt by the group to retain control of the party.
“For them to hold PDP for another two years, no, no, no,” he added.
He concluded by suggesting that the group’s influence was fading, describing them as “wearing rags, dancing around at midnight,” and predicting that they would soon disperse.
