Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared that individuals he described as “vagabonds,” who once wielded influence within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have been expelled from the party.
Makinde made the remarks on Tuesday during the unveiling of the Oyo State PDP Secretariat in Ibadan, the state capital, insisting that the party has now been rid of internal disruptions.
Using a Yoruba proverb to explain the recent developments within the PDP, the governor said: “In Yorubaland, we say that if you see a house or compound that is peaceful, it means the vagabond in that house has not grown up.”
According to Makinde, the group gained prominence within the PDP following the party’s loss of power at the federal level in 2015, a period he said created a leadership vacuum.
“In 2015, PDP lost power at the federal level, and there was a gap in leadership. Otherwise, those vagabonds would never have taken hold of the PDP,” he said.
The governor noted that the group dominated the party’s affairs for nearly a decade before being removed.
“They grew up in 2015, had their time, and for 10 years — a full decade — practised their vagabondry within the PDP. But they were expelled in November 2025. So, there is no longer any vagabond in the PDP,” Makinde stated.
He also distanced both himself and the Oyo State Government from the party’s internal legal battles and national leadership disputes.
“Let me make it clear: the government has no interest in PDP litigation or in the party’s national leadership issues,” he said.
Reflecting on his political journey, Makinde admitted that he was previously aligned with the group but had since withdrawn his support.
“I must confess: I came into government in 2019, and toward 2023, I was yoked with them. But now, I have repented,” he said.
Makinde stressed that he would not support any attempt by the group to retain control of the party.
“For them to hold the PDP for another two years? No, no, no,” he added.
He concluded by suggesting that the group’s influence was rapidly waning, describing them as “wearing rags and dancing around at midnight,” and predicting that they would soon scatter.
