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By Myke Agunwa
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reaffirmed its readiness to host a national convention that will serve as a blueprint to other political parties and warned that it will be suicidal for anybody to attempt to stop the process.
Oyo state governor and Chairman of Transport Sub-Committee Engr. Seyi Makinde who incidentally is the host governor, made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja during the inauguration of the Transport sub-committee.
While acknowledging that any large part like the PDP is expected to have dissenting voices, explained that the National convention train is already on full speed to Ibadan, Oyo State capital and will not entertain any derailment.
Speaking metaphorically on the level of preparedness he said, “On the National Convention of our great party, the train has moved, and whoever is trying to stop a moving train is probably also trying to commit suicide”.
The Oyo state number one citizen while throwing more light on defections going on in the party, said that membership of any political party is on a voluntary basis, hence defectors are also expressing their freedom of association, adding that the party cannot do anything to stop them.
According to the governor, the PDP has passed through the same rough path before and expressed optimism that the National Convention will throw up new set of leadership that will overhaul the party.
“We’ve gone through those challenges of governing this country. We have people with experience that have led or occupied positions of leadership in this country. And we’ve gone to the bottom of it, when we lost power in 2015, and we’ve been in opposition since then.
“So, challenges will come and go, but for us as leaders, no matter what situation we find ourselves in organizing the party, it’s not the end in itself. The end is for Nigerians to have democracy, and for Nigerians to have a party that they can relate to. So, if you’re saying somebody is defecting, our house is not in order, democracy is about conflict and conflict resolution, and also resilience.
“But the PDP you will see post-convention will be with new leaders, new heroes coming up, will be a PDP that will come out boldly to tell Nigerians what they will do for them. And it will be in black and white, such that we can be held accountable” he pledged.
The governor however, did not rule out that all those working against the party will give account someday. According to him, PDP is elastic enough to tolerate and accommodate all shades of opinion and activities but added that “the assurance is the wheel of discipline is rotating, but maybe not fast enough. But we shall get to a point where people will get what they deserve in terms of what they’ve done to the party”.
Earlier in his speech, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Debo Ologunagba explained that the party is ready for the Ibadan national convention holding between 15 -16th November 2025.
Eulogizing the governor for all the efforts he is putting in to host a successful convention he said, “we are blessed and we are privileged to bring before you one of the most outstanding governors in Nigeria, one of the most digitalized Nigerian governors, one of the most experienced in terms of people-oriented policies in Nigeria, one that has transformed the face of governance in Oyo State, one that has brought in investments from every part of the world, particularly in agriculture, a man that has invested in the life of Nigerian people, particularly in Oyo state and across the country”.
He described the PDP as “the only party that is based on principles, on policies, and organized in such a way that it is a bottom-up approach for our party, starting from the wards to the local government through the zones and of course the national”.