Anxiety rocks Oyo PDP as Wike-backed faction claims takeover of secretariat

By Adejayan Gbenga

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo State aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday announced that it had taken over the party’s secretariat at Molete in Ibadan.

The claim was contained in a statement issued by the Gbolarumi Campaign Organisation amid the lingering leadership crisis within the Oyo State chapter of the PDP.

According to the group, the development marks the return of what it described as the “authentic PDP” and signals the beginning of a new political direction for the party in the state.

The organisation said the move ushers in a renewed political movement under the leadership of former Oyo State Deputy Governor, Barrister Hazeem Gbolarumi, whom it identified as the PDP governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

It added that reclaiming the party secretariat was a significant step toward strengthening the party’s structure and preparing for the next general election.

The group further alleged that the Molete secretariat had been under the control of individuals loyal to Governor Seyi Makinde and claimed, without providing evidence, that the governor had shifted his political allegiance to the Allied Peoples Movement. The allegation has not been independently verified.

According to the statement, taking possession of the secretariat was intended to restore the party’s organisational structure and political identity, adding that the action symbolises a broader effort to rebuild the PDP in Oyo State.

The announcement is expected to intensify the leadership dispute within the Oyo State PDP, where rival factions continue to lay claim to the party’s structure. Neither Governor Makinde nor the faction loyal to him had responded to the claims as of the time of filing this report.