Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo State and a factional leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has vowed that opposition forces will not abandon efforts to safeguard Nigeria's democracy. He made the declaration on Monday after attending the 103rd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the PDP in Abuja. Makinde described the current political climate as "an unusual situation democratically" and insisted the opposition would keep pushing for pluralism in the nation's democratic space.
The meeting, convened by the party's Board of Trustees (BoT) led by Adulphos Wabara, inaugurated a 13-member Interim National Working Committee (INWC) to manage party affairs. Makinde defended the legality of the committee, stating that two-thirds of NEC members were present, making it constitutionally valid. The INWC is chaired by Tanimu Turaki, with Taofik Arapaja as Secretary. Other members include Hamza Kosher, Daniel Woyengikuro, Richard Nnabugwu, Isa Abubakar, Okechukwu Obiechina, Dakas Shan, Ini Ememobong, Aribisala Idowu, Bara'u Shafii, Antonia Ogbu and Umar Aji Share.
Makinde criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for updating the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on its website before the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment was released. He said no one has seen the CTC and questioned how a national institution could act on an unverified ruling. The PDP, he said, will formally write to INEC urging it to allow space for opposition participation in the 2027 elections.
Seyi Makinde claims the PDP's new caretaker committee is legal because two-thirds of NEC members attended, yet he simultaneously challenges INEC for acting without a certified court document—setting a precedent he now opposes. His administration benefits directly from PDP's relevance in 2027, making his push as much about political survival as democratic principle. If INEC can act on incomplete judicial processes, so can rival factions within his own party. The same constitutional rigor he demands from INEC could be used against his faction's legitimacy.
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