OYO State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared that he will not allow himself to be dragged into unnecessary political quarrels, saying he is “not ready to go into the gutters with anyone.”
News Point Nigeria reports that Makinde made this known on Thursday while addressing journalists shortly after the South-West Zoning Consultative Summit of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), held in Lagos.
“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. That is democracy,” Makinde said.
He emphasized that political disagreements should not descend into personal attacks but should instead focus on delivering value to Nigerians.
“I can disagree with people, but there shouldn’t be anything personal here. It should be about what we are giving to Nigerians because they are watching,” he added.
Makinde dismissed claims that the PDP was losing relevance, stressing that recent electoral outcomes showed that the party remained a formidable opposition.
“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,” the governor explained.
Asked about discussions on zoning the PDP’s 2027 presidential ticket to the South, Makinde insisted that such conversations were premature.
“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 noted.
The high-powered consultative meeting attracted key PDP stakeholders from across the South, including:
Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara
Chairman of the PDP National Zoning Committee and Bayelsa Governor, Douye Diri
Governors Ademola Adeleke (Osun) and Peter Mba (Enugu), represented by Deputy Governor Ifeanyi Ossai
Former Osun Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola
PDP chieftain Bode George
Former Senator Monsurat Sunmonu
Also in attendance were 12 of the 17 PDP National Assembly members from the South-West and several party leaders from across the southern states.
The summit, according to stakeholders, was aimed at strengthening the party’s internal cohesion, preparing it for future elections, and repositioning the PDP as a credible alternative for Nigerians.