“I’ll Only Be Moved When Hunger Defects to APC” — Makinde

…Says Nigeria’s salvation lies in defeating hunger and inequality, not in endless political defections.

Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has weighed in on the wave of defections currently reshaping Nigeria’s political landscape, saying the only “defection” that truly matters is when hunger finally leaves the country.

Speaking while writing through his newsletter on his X-handle in his reaction to the recent defection by some political gladiators in PDP, Governor Makinde dismissed the ongoing movement of politicians from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other parties as a distraction from the country’s most pressing challenges.

“I will only be moved when hunger defects into the APC,” Makinde said.

“While politicians are busy changing parties, Nigerians are struggling to afford basic necessities. Families are making impossible choices every day, that is the real issue.”

The governor lamented that the nation’s focus has shifted from addressing poverty and inequality to political realignments and personal ambitions.

According to him, hunger and economic hardship, not partisanship, remain the driving forces behind public frustration and hopelessness.

“We cannot continue pretending that everything is fine simply because someone in government says so,” Makinde warned.

“While the rich are adjusting, the poor are sinking, and that must command our attention.”

Makinde drew insights from his recent reading of “Money: A Story of Humanity” by economist David McWilliams, noting that economic policies must reflect human realities.

“Every decision that takes money out of people’s pockets moves them closer to poverty,” he said.

“Policies divorced from the realities of hunger, unemployment, and loss of dignity are not policies worth defending.”

Reflecting on the PDP’s past, Makinde said the party once presided over a period of relative prosperity, when “salaries had value, businesses could plan, and hope was not an illusion.”

He called on party members to rebuild public trust and reposition the PDP as a platform that prioritizes people over politics.

Looking ahead to the PDP’s national convention scheduled for November in Ibadan, Makinde described it as an opportunity for renewal.

“It will be more than a gathering of party faithful. It will be a moment to reset, to reassert our values, and to send a clear message that we are focused on rebuilding lives, not merely power structures,” he said.

The governor expressed optimism that the Nigerian people, not political maneuvering, would determine the outcome of the 2027 general elections.

“Our duty in the PDP is to show that we can deliver relief where others have brought pain,” he said. “The hunger that grips our nation will not last forever, but only if we refuse to normalise it.”

Makinde concluded with a call to conscience, urging Nigerians to stay engaged and steadfast.

“Let others defect for convenience; let us stand firm for conscience. Because when hunger finally defects, prosperity will return, and so will our pride as a people,” he declared.