Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, says the most significant defection Nigeria needs is not of politicians switching parties, but of hunger and poverty exiting the lives of ordinary citizens.
In his bi-monthly newsletter released on Thursday, Makinde took a swipe at the current wave of political defections dominating public discussions, stressing that the country’s real challenge lies in the economic hardship millions face daily.
According to the governor, while politicians are busy making strategic moves ahead of the 2027 general elections, families across Nigeria continue to struggle with hunger, inflation, and joblessness.
“I am sure many of you have been following the recent defections of politicians, especially the governors who have left the PDP for the APC 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 said that until hunger and poverty “defect” from the country, Nigerians will continue to suffer the consequences of misplaced priorities.
“When I was asked about this wave of cross-carpeting in a recent press conference, I said I would only be moved when hunger defects into the APC. I meant every word of it,” he said. “Families are being forced to make impossible choices daily. These are the real issues, not political realignments.”
‘It’s Hunger, Not Politics, That Fuels Despair’
Makinde lamented that while politicians are preoccupied with securing power, citizens are battling for survival. He noted that the growing inequality gap is widening frustration and hopelessness across the country.
“It is hunger, not partisanship, that fuels despair,” he said, adding that Nigerians want policies that put food on their tables and restore their dignity, not empty rhetoric about party strength or alliances.
He argued that only the Nigerian people, not defections, alliances, or political manoeuvres—will determine the outcome of the 2027 general election.
“No matter what the analysts predict, it is the Nigerian people who will decide the 2027 elections,” Makinde said. “Our job in the PDP is to prove we can deliver relief where others have brought pain.”
He recalled a time when Nigerians could live decently, when salaries had value, and businesses could plan with confidence. “Nigerians remember when hope was not an illusion. Our task now is to rebuild that trust and restore the PDP as a platform that prioritises people over politics,” he stated.
Makinde also said the party’s upcoming national convention in Ibadan would not just be a gathering of politicians but an opportunity to “reset and reassert” the PDP’s core values.
‘When Hunger Finally Defects, Prosperity Will Return’
The governor urged Nigerians not to lose hope despite the prevailing economic hardship. He emphasised that hunger and deprivation will not last forever if citizens remain united and continue demanding better governance.
“Let others defect for convenience; let us stand firm for conscience,” he said. “When hunger finally defects, prosperity will return, and so will our pride as a people.”
He concluded by warning that politics that ignores the realities of hunger, unemployment, and human dignity is empty.
Also read: Seyi Makinde: Ready to Lead Nigeria as President in 2027?
“Economic decisions are not about numbers,” he said. “Every decision that takes money out of people’s pockets moves them closer to poverty. My belief is that our politics must serve humanity.”
Makinde’s remarks come at a time when political defections are reshaping Nigeria’s political landscape, with several key figures from opposition parties joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). But for the Oyo governor, the real battle lies beyond party alignments, it lies in rescuing Nigerians from the grip of hunger, inequality, and despair.
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