Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has asserted that the outcome of the 2027 general elections will be shaped by ordinary Nigerians battling economic hardship not politicians or high-profile defectors.

Speaking at the inauguration of the newly elected South-West Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) executive in Ibadan, Makinde emphasized that the real political force in the country lies in the suffering masses.

“We will not be bothered until hunger defects to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC),” Makinde said.
“There is hunger in the land, and the majority of the people who are hungry will determine what 2027 would look like.”

Makinde reaffirmed the PDP’s commitment to the needs of the people and described it as the only party in Nigeria with enduring and functional structures.

“Defections, even among governors, should not discourage us. The PDP remains the party with the strongest institutions,” he added.

Despite Makinde’s optimism, the PDP’s relevance in Nigeria’s shifting political landscape is being challenged by some opposition figures. Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, dismissed the idea of any credible coalition being led by the PDP.

Speaking on Arise Television, Lawal declared:

“We all agree that PDP has an incurable virus. No antibiotic can cure what is ailing the PDP, and we don’t want to go into a house that we cannot modify.”

Lawal’s remarks come as efforts intensify to form a broad opposition coalition ahead of 2027, with discussions reportedly involving prominent figures like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Nasir el-Rufai.

As the 2027 elections approach, the PDP finds itself walking a tightrope—projecting internal strength while facing doubts about its centrality to Nigeria’s future opposition movement.