Makinde: Defections to APC Won’t End Hunger, Poverty in Nigeria
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has criticised the ongoing wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the political realignments will not address the worsening economic hardship facing Nigerians.
Speaking in Ibadan on Friday, Makinde said the recent defections were driven by personal interests rather than genuine concern for national progress.
He stressed that switching political parties has become a recurring distraction that prevents leaders from focusing on the real issues affecting citizens hunger, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity.
“The movement of politicians from one party to another will not put food on the table of ordinary Nigerians,” the governor said. “What our people need now is good governance, not political drama.
Nigerians are hungry, families are struggling, and our youths are becoming increasingly frustrated. Defection cannot solve these problems only leadership and accountability can.”
Makinde noted that the country’s economic woes, including rising inflation and a depreciating naira, demand urgent and coordinated policy responses rather than political opportunism. He urged political actors to prioritise service delivery and the welfare of citizens above personal ambition.
The governor, a leading member of the PDP and a key voice in the G5 bloc of governors, reaffirmed his commitment to staying in the party, saying that strengthening internal democracy and building public trust were more important than chasing power for its own sake.
“People are losing faith in politics because they see leaders changing parties without changing their values,” he added. “If we are serious about rescuing this country, we must first rescue our politics.”
Makinde’s comments come amid a series of high-profile defections that have unsettled the PDP ahead of future elections, further intensifying debates about the direction of Nigeria’s opposition and the state of its democracy.
