Nifemi Peters The cold war within the Oyo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has shifted to a high-stakes “game of structures” as the faction loyal to Governor Seyi Makinde began naming consensus candidates for the National and State House of Assembly seats. The move comes amid a deepening legitimacy crisis, with the rival faction led by former Deputy Governor Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi declaring the Governor’s caucus “partyless” and legally unrecognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The Gbolarumi-led faction, which enjoys strong ties to the Nyesom Wike-aligned national leadership, recently warned that any administrative actions taken by the Makinde caucus would be void. Sources within the party indicate that an April 10 deadline was set for all genuine PDP members to align with the “authentic” structure recognized by INEC. By proceeding to select consensus candidates for legislative slots outside of this structure, Makinde’s team is effectively operating on a parallel track, leading many to label their candidates as “party-less” seekers of office. Political analysts in the Pacesetter State view this as more than just an internal squabble. The prevailing “school of thought” suggests that Makinde is deliberately insulating his loyalists from the PDP’s national turmoil. By finalizing a list of consensus candidates for the Federal House of Representatives and the Oyo State House of Assembly now, the Governor is reportedly building a “portable” political machinery. This would allow him to move his entire team—from grassroots leaders to legislative hopefuls—to a new political platform in one swift motion, avoiding the need for fresh, chaotic primaries in a different party. ”The Governor is playing a long game,” a source familiar with the internal dynamics of the ‘Seyi Makinde Dynamics’ (SMD) group revealed. “If the PDP umbrella is being held by people at the federal level who want to ‘perish’ us politically, then the Governor must provide a new shelter for his followers before the rain starts.” As the clock ticks toward the 2027 elections, the question is no longer whether there is a rift, but where Makinde will eventually plant his “partyless” candidates. With the Gbolarumi faction holding the keys to the PDP in Oyo state ,the Governor’s next move may well be the most decisive defection in Oyo’s recent political history. Post navigation “HE GOT F9!” — APC Scribe Basiru Slams Adeleke’s Governance, Mocks Governor’s Late Academic Records 2027: Uncertainty Grips Oyo PDP As Makinde’s Anointed One Remains Shrouded In Mystery
