Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has described the current situation within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a challenging period for both the party and Nigeria’s democratic system following the recent Appeal Court judgment concerning the party’s leadership crisis.
Makinde made the remarks on Tuesday during a meeting of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) led by Tanimu Turaki.
Reacting to the court ruling delivered on Monday, the governor said the political atmosphere in the country remains troubling but expressed confidence that the situation would eventually improve.
“It’s a challenging period for us and for democracy in Nigeria,” Makinde said. “I have been speaking with people who have knowledge and who have been involved in the political evolution of this country, and none of them have seen a political landscape like what we are witnessing today.”
Despite the internal crisis affecting the opposition party, the governor maintained that some members remain committed to standing on the side of the people.
“But we are not bothered. I can say personally and on behalf of my chairman that when the story of this period is told and when the story of democracy in Nigeria is written, they will find us on the side of the people,” he said.
Makinde further expressed hope that the political tensions would eventually pass, urging party leaders and members to remain mindful of the roles they play during the crisis.
“This period will also go away. It will pass away. Whatever role we want to play as individuals and collectively as a party, we must be conscious of what history is going to record for or against us during this period,” he added.
Quoting a biblical passage to emphasise his optimism, the governor said: “Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.”
The governor stressed that despite the ongoing challenges within the party, leaders must remain focused on strengthening Nigeria’s democracy and acting in ways that history would judge positively.
Earlier, the PDP Board of Trustees had convened an emergency meeting at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja to deliberate on the party’s internal crisis.
The meeting was chaired by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara and attended by several prominent figures in the party, including acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, former Deputy National Chairman Bode George, former Information Minister Jerry Gana, and former Niger State governor Babangida Aliyu.
The gathering of party leaders came amid growing concerns over the PDP’s leadership disputes and the potential impact on the party’s future ahead of the 2027 general elections.
