Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said that the most important defection Nigerians should be concerned about is not about politicians changing parties, but about hunger and poverty finally leaving the country.
In his bi-monthly newsletter released on Thursday, the governor criticised the obsession with political defections, noting that citizens are more concerned about economic hardship than party movements.
He wrote: “For me, the only defection that truly matters is the one that has not happened yet the defection of hunger.
“When I was asked about the wave of cross-carpeting, I said, ‘I will only be moved when hunger defects into the APC.’ I meant every word of it.”
Makinde said Nigerians are being forced to make painful daily choices amid rising food prices, unemployment, and inflation, stressing that political drama should not distract from the worsening economic conditions in the country.
“We cannot continue pretending that everything is fine simply because someone in government says so. It is hunger, not partisanship, that fuels frustration and hopelessness,” he stated.
The governor added that the outcome of the 2027 general elections will not be determined by politicians switching parties, but by the Nigerian people who are living through difficult times.
“As a party, the PDP once presided over a period of relative prosperity in this country. Nigerians remember when salaries had value and when hope was not an illusion. Our task now is to rebuild that trust,” he said.
Makinde disclosed that the PDP national convention, scheduled for November in Ibadan, would serve as a platform to reset the party’s values and reconnect with citizens.
He urged public officials to ensure that policies reflect real-life struggles, adding that politics must serve humanity rather than personal ambition.
“When hunger finally defects, prosperity will return and so will our pride as a people,” he added.
