A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has distanced itself from the declaration issued after an opposition summit held in Ibadan.
The group also dismissed claims of any შეთანხმ to adopt a single presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement signed by State Chairman Prof. Abdulrahman Akinoso and Secretary Dr. Abiola Olaonipekun, the faction clarified that the party bloc led by former Deputy Governor Barr. Hazeem Gbolarumi neither participated in nor endorsed the outcome of the meeting.
Describing the summit as illegitimate, the faction argued that it lacked the constitutional authority required to take decisions of such magnitude. It emphasized that it had no prior knowledge of the gathering and was not represented, thereby nullifying any suggestion of involvement in a consensus arrangement.
According to the statement, no recognized organ of the PDP at either the state or national level sanctioned participation in the meeting. It stressed that valid inter-party engagements must be approved by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) or National Executive Committee (NEC), procedures it said were not followed.
“The so-called Ibadan summit is a ruse. It was merely an assemblage of individuals, not a legitimate convergence of political parties,” the statement read, adding that any binding coalition must be rooted in formal institutional authorization rather than informal discussions.
The faction further rejected reports of an alliance with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or other opposition groups aimed at presenting a unified presidential candidate in 2027.
Reaffirming its autonomy, the leadership maintained that decisions of such strategic importance would only emerge from extensive consultations within the party’s constitutional framework.
While acknowledging evolving political dynamics, the faction said its priority remains strengthening internal party structures rather than engaging in what it described as premature coalition-building.
It also urged the public and party members to disregard what it called misleading reports linking the PDP to the Ibadan declaration, reiterating its readiness to fully participate in the 2027 elections.
