Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared that individuals he described as “vagabonds” who previously wielded influence within the Peoples Democratic Party have been expelled, saying the party has finally overcome years of internal disruption.
Makinde spoke on Tuesday in Ibadan during the unveiling of the Oyo State PDP secretariat, a remark widely seen as a response to comments made a day earlier by former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike.
On Monday, Wike had told the party’s 105th National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja that he would defend the PDP from what he termed internal “vampires” and expressed interest in developments within the Oyo State chapter of the party.
Reacting, Makinde said the PDP had successfully rid itself of elements responsible for prolonged crises and instability.
Drawing from a Yoruba proverb, the governor said peace within a household is impossible where disruptive elements are allowed to thrive, adding that such individuals had taken advantage of a leadership vacuum within the party.
Makinde said the group rose to prominence after the PDP lost control of the Federal Government in 2015, describing the period as one in which the party’s structure weakened.
According to him, the individuals held sway in the party for nearly a decade before being forced out.
“They had their time. For about 10 years, they practised their vagabondry in the PDP, but they were expelled in November 2025. There is no more vagabond in the PDP,” the governor said.
He also distanced the Oyo State Government from the PDP’s internal legal disputes and national leadership struggles, insisting that governance in the state would not be distracted by party infighting.
Makinde admitted that he had previously aligned with the group during his early years in office but said he had since withdrawn his support.
“I came into government in 2019, and towards 2023, I was yoked with them. But I have repented,” he said, adding that he would resist any attempt by the group to regain control of the party.
The governor further suggested that the influence of the expelled members was waning, expressing confidence that the PDP had entered a new phase of stability.