The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Barrister Gbolarunmi Hazeem, has declared that the party is now united, insisting that there is no longer any factional divide between supporters of former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and Governor Seyi Makinde.
Gbolarunmi, who spoke during an interaction with journalists and party stakeholders, said he had remained a member of the PDP since its inception and had never defected from the party.
He said: “There is no faction in the party anymore. There is nothing like Wike faction or Makinde faction. It is one PDP now.
“I have never for one day or one minute defected from this political party since inception.”
The PDP candidate also described himself as a grassroots politician, saying his closeness to the people would shape his approach to governance if elected governor.
“I am a grass-rooter. Others are not. I live with my people at the grassroots. I always come to the people’s level,” he said.
Gbolarunmi said his administration would prioritise education, infrastructure, healthcare, justice and equity, stressing that his candidacy was anchored on the platform and structure of the PDP.
He also rejected the notion that occupying the governorship automatically makes an individual the leader of the party, arguing that elected office holders must respect the party’s leadership and structure.
“I don’t believe in being the governor automatically makes you the leader of the party. We need to respect the party leaders and structure,” he said.
According to him, all PDP candidates must remain answerable to the objectives of the party, adding that the party would work to deliver its candidates at all levels, including its presidential candidate.
On the relationship between Wike and the PDP, Gbolarunmi said the former Rivers governor’s support for President Bola Tinubu did not necessarily amount to anti-party activity.
“Wike is not anti-party. The party had a nod before he went to support Tinubu. That he is willing to retain his support is personal to you. He didn’t say he won’t support our candidates at other levels,” he said.
Speaking on the economy and youth unemployment, the PDP candidate criticised the Seyi Makinde administration for what he described as inadequate economic empowerment programmes for young people.
He said many youths in the state had graduated or acquired skills but remained unemployed, stressing the need for government to create opportunities for them to deploy their skills and establish businesses.
“Many youths are jobless. They have graduated. What are we doing about that? Our youths need to be empowered. Some of them have skills,” he said.
Gbolarunmi argued that economic empowerment should go beyond distributing cash, saying small-scale support could enable young entrepreneurs to employ others.
He also linked employment generation to industrial development, saying Oyo State needed a clear industrialisation strategy capable of attracting companies and creating sustainable jobs.
“There may not be job creation if you don’t have an industrial development vision. Most of our youths are ready to work but have no job,” he said.
On the rating of the present administration, Gbolarunmi said he would rather allow the people to assess the government themselves.
“As regards rating the administration, I allow the masses to rate,” he said.
He also said his campaign would not rely on the distribution of money or what he described as “stomach infrastructure”, although he acknowledged that funds would be required for branding, campaigns and public awareness.
“Money is not everything. We won’t share money to people. We won’t do that. It’s normal we spend money for branding, campaigns and awareness, but not stomach infrastructure,” he said.
Gbolarunmi also criticised the practice of distributing food and money during political campaigns, arguing that voters were increasingly discerning.
“You have been given the opportunity to serve without doing anything and you are coming back to cajole us with rice and beans. It’s unfair,” he said.
Also speaking, the PDP candidate for Oyo Central Senatorial District, Hon. Ayobami Olunloyo, identified legislation, constituency projects and investment attraction as three key areas that should be deployed to address the state’s economic challenges.
Olunloyo said effective legislation could create an environment capable of attracting new industries while protecting existing businesses.
He also called for greater attention to agriculture, particularly communal storage solutions that would help farmers preserve their produce and ensure that agricultural goods reached the market.
On constituency projects, he advocated greater investment in education, including vocational training, saying the state needed to develop the skills of its people beyond academic qualifications.
He further stressed the need for government to deliberately attract private investment by creating conditions that would make businesses willing to establish operations in Oyo State.
PDP Leadership Assures on Structure
The meeting was attended by the PDP State Chairman, Prof. Rahman Akinoso; Organising Secretary, Olaniyi Stephen; Auditor of the State Working Committee, Hon. Ajagbe Oladotun; Ibadan South-East II representative, Taiwo Jimoh (Solution); Chairman, Forum of Local Government Chairmen, Hon. Abiola Jimoh; and Head of Media and Strategic Communications, Chesterfield Efe.
The party leadership also spoke on its preparations and membership structure ahead of the 2027 elections, with the chairman indicating that party members had been uploaded in the relevant electoral process.
