Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has dismissed claims that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is dead, insisting that the party remains a formidable political force in Nigeria.
Makinde gave the assurance on Thursday while addressing journalists after the PDP Southwest Zoning Consultative Summit held in Lagos.
According to him, despite internal wrangling, the PDP has continued to demonstrate resilience and remains capable of reclaiming power if its members remain focused and committed.
“In all our states, they showed last Saturday that PDP is not dead. In most other places of the 12 states, PDP came second. It is an indication to us that if we continue to work hard, we can reclaim the confidence of Nigerians,” Makinde stated.
The Oyo governor stressed that the party’s immediate task was to build unity and strengthen its structures before discussions about presidential candidates could commence.
“We haven’t even gotten there. We need to have a party first before you start talking about presidential candidates.
If we don’t have a party, anything you are trying to do will fall flat. Our efforts right now are directed towards having a vibrant and united PDP that Nigerians will be proud of and believe in again,” he added.
Makinde also cautioned against divisive politics, warning that he would not engage in unnecessary disputes.
“Personally, when people go low or go into the gutters, I don’t go with them. Some people are now going into the gutters.
We will reach out to them. I can disagree with people, but there shouldn’t be anything personal here. That is democracy,” he said.
He maintained that with collective effort, the PDP could rebuild itself and regain the trust of the electorate ahead of future elections.
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