Makinde: The Defection Nigeria Needs Is That of Hunger, Not Politicians

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has described the ongoing wave of political defections in Nigeria as a distraction from the real issues affecting citizens, emphasizing that the most important defection the country needs is that of hunger and poverty.

In his bi-monthly newsletter released Thursday, Governor Makinde criticized the public focus on political realignments, urging Nigerians and political leaders to prioritize addressing economic hardship over political manoeuvring.

“I am sure many of you have been following the recent defections of politicians — especially the governors who have left the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress and other parties,” he said.

“With these defections, political pundits have been busy reading meanings into every handshake and silence. I have watched as our national conversation once again turns to who is moving rather than what is moving.”

Makinde stressed that real progress would only be made when issues like hunger and inequality are tackled head-on.

“For me, the only defection that truly matters is the one that has not happened yet — the defection of hunger,” he said. “We cannot continue pretending that everything is fine simply because someone in government says so. What we are experiencing is the widening of inequality. While the rich are adjusting, the poor are sinking — and that is what must command our attention.”

He warned that worsening living conditions were fueling public frustration and hopelessness, far beyond the implications of political defections.

“When I was asked about this wave of political cross-carpeting in a recent press conference, I said, ‘I will only be moved when hunger defects into the APC.’ I meant every word of it,” the governor added.

Makinde urged his party, the PDP, to focus on rebuilding public trust by offering genuine solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges. He also called on political leaders to return to values-based governance.

“No matter what the analysts predict, and no matter how many defections are engineered, it is the Nigerian people who will decide the outcome of the 2027 elections,” he noted. “Our job in the PDP is to continue to provide proof that we can deliver relief where others have brought pain.”

He further stated that the PDP’s upcoming national convention in Ibadan presents an opportunity for the party to “reset and reassert our values.”

“Let others defect for convenience. Let us stand firm for conscience. Because when hunger finally defects, prosperity will return — and so will our pride as a people,” he concluded.

Makinde’s comments come at a time when the opposition PDP faces major internal shifts, with the recent defections of Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri to the ruling APC, reducing the PDP’s control to just eight states nationwide.