Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has opened up on his ongoing feud with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, accusing the former Rivers State governor of pushing Nigeria toward a one-party system.
Makinde spoke while addressing journalists on Tuesday amid the violent confrontation between rival Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, factions at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
The governor said the crisis within the PDP transcends personal disagreements and is fundamentally about safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic future.
“A message of hope, real hope, is what I want to give to our members all across the nation and Nigerians,” Makinde said.
He argued that the struggle currently playing out in the PDP is not merely an internal dispute but a fight for the survival of multiparty democracy.
“This is not about PDP. It is about the future of democracy in Nigeria,” he stated.
“We should know that this is a case of it gets worse before it gets better. And if we have to stay here for the next two weeks so that democracy will survive in Nigeria, you will see us here.”
Responding to questions about what caused the split between himself and Wike—despite both men belonging to the G5 governors’ group before the 2023 elections—Makinde avoided personal attacks.
“Well, small minds talk about people. Average minds talk about events. We will rather talk about issues,” he said.
He insisted that the core issue is Wike’s alleged attempt to steer Nigeria into a one-party arrangement, saying it contradicts the foundation laid by the nation’s leaders.
“The issue is we don’t believe in a one-party Nigeria. We believe that our founding fathers gave us a multiparty democracy,” he said.
“We must sustain it so that Nigerians can have options when they are choosing their leaders.”
Makinde added that he would not be drawn into discussing individuals or past alliances, stressing that the broader struggle for democratic balance remains his priority.
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