The Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has distanced itself from reports that it has begun grassroots mobilisation in support of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The party also disowned any formal alliance with the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), saying the reported mobilisation exercise was not authorised by its recognised leadership in the state.

The controversy followed a gathering in Ado-Ekiti involving some PDP and APM stakeholders, who announced plans to mobilise support for Makinde. Reports said the meeting brought together participants from the state’s 16 local government areas as part of an advocacy and awareness programme.

However, Ekiti PDP Chairman, Lanre Omolase, in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti, described the reports as false, fictitious and unauthorised.

Omolase said the state chapter had neither approved nor inaugurated any grassroots mobilisation project for Makinde and had no formal affiliation with the APM.

He urged PDP members, supporters and the public to disregard claims suggesting that the recognised leadership of the Ekiti PDP had endorsed the initiative.

The chairman also cautioned individuals and groups against using the name, structure or authority of the state PDP to advance personal political interests, stressing that only duly authorised party organs and spokespersons could communicate the chapter’s official position.

The development highlights growing political activity ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly around Makinde, who has emerged as the APM’s presidential candidate following the party’s alliance arrangements with opposition political actors.

The APM has previously claimed that its efforts to build cross-party support for Makinde were gaining momentum, pointing to support from some PDP members in Ekiti as evidence of its expanding coalition.

The conflicting positions, however, indicate that support for Makinde among individuals or groups within the PDP should not necessarily be interpreted as an endorsement by the recognised Ekiti State PDP leadership.

For now, the Ekiti PDP leadership maintains that it has no authorised arrangement with the APM or any campaign structure backing Makinde’s presidential bid.