The Nyesom Wike faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State has taken over the party’s state secretariat in the Molete area of Ibadan, previously occupied by the faction loyal to Governor Seyi Makinde.
Speaking after gaining access to the secretariat on Thursday, the state chairman of the party, Prof. Rahman Akinoso, said the takeover followed the recent Supreme Court judgment, which he said affirmed the Wike-led faction as the authentic leadership of the party.
According to Akinoso, the Supreme Court recognised the Wike faction as the legally elected executive, thereby affirming that there is now one PDP in the country.
“This is not just about recovering a building; it is about reclaiming the soul, structure and vision of our great party, the PDP.
“The takeover represents a turning point in the party’s internal struggle and signals the start of renewed political activities under Gbolarumi’s leadership.
“The secretariat will resume operations immediately as the central hub for meetings and strategy sessions ahead of the next electoral cycle,” he said.
Akinoso added that all party activities in the state would henceforth be coordinated from the secretariat, describing the takeover as the beginning of a new chapter for the PDP in Oyo State.
He also disclosed that the faction would begin a grassroots mobilisation campaign across the state’s 33 local government areas, adding that the party’s political structures had been activated ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The chairman further stated that security agencies had been notified of the development.
According to reports, Hazeem Gbolarumi, a member of the Wike camp, is the PDP governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
The party secretariat had previously been under the control of the Makinde faction.
However, Makinde has aligned with the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), the platform on which he intends to contest the 2027 presidential election, while his loyalists have also secured the party’s National Assembly and House of Assembly tickets.