The political landscape in Oyo State has witnessed a series of defections involving members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In Oluyole Local Government Area, hundreds of members of the APC and Accord have defected to the APM, while more than 1,000 APM members in the same local government area have also joined the APC.
Similarly, more than 3,000 members of the PDP and Accord in Ibadan North-East Local Government Area have reportedly joined the APC.
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The latest political realignments have involved party members, candidates and grassroots mobilisers who cited various reasons for their decisions.
In Oluyole, the APC and Accord members who joined the APM were led by Chief Adewale Alatise, popularly known as Afama.
Among those who joined the APM were Reverend Adeniyi Oluwarotimi, Temitope Emmanuel, Asasile Oluwabunmi and Alaba Isiaka, who were said to have mobilised their supporters to join the party.
Speaking after their reception, Alatise described the APM as a platform for politicians committed to what he described as progressive politics.
The Oluyole APM chairman, Alhaji Hamzat Nasir, said the development had expanded the party’s grassroots membership in the local government, particularly ahead of the 2027 elections.
The defectors were received by party leaders, including Nasir; the party’s chairmanship candidate, Hon. Olaide Settle; and the Oluyole Local Government Vice Chairman, Hon. Adeniyi Akorede.
The APM leaders welcomed the new members, saying their decision to join the party reflected what they described as increasing acceptance of the party at the grassroots.
The APM House of Representatives candidate for Oluyole Federal Constituency and incumbent chairman of the council, Engr. Akeem Olatunji, said the party had intensified its ward-to-ward mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.
Olatunji attributed the party’s appeal to the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde, saying its performance remained a key factor in the party’s campaign.
He also criticised the APC, accusing it of relying on what he described as propaganda and rhetoric, while claiming that some of its members were now joining the APM.
He said the new members included prominent grassroots actors and expressed confidence that their defection would strengthen the party in the constituency.
Also in Oluyole, the Personal Assistant to the former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Ajiboye Akande Sangogade, popularly known as Boye Nation, led his supporters from the APC to the APM.
Sangogade said his decision was based on his personal political conviction and his assessment of developments in the state.
He said his support for Governor Seyi Makinde and the APM governorship candidate, Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi, was motivated by his desire to provide a platform for greater participation of young people in politics.
Explaining his decision, he said, “I was a former Personal Assistant (PA) to Chief Adebayo Adelabu. I am not in any way in crisis with anyone. I’m mature enough to make a decision.”
He stressed that his decision had no connection with his former principal.
“The decision I made has nothing to do with my former boss, Chief Adelabu; it was a decision I took independently,” he said.
Meanwhile, in another political development in Oluyole, more than 1,000 members of the APM defected to the APC.
The defectors were led by Hon. Mustapha Kazeem, popularly known as Oba Oluyole, at a ceremony held at the APC secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan.
They were formally received by the APC state chairman, Otunba Moses Alake-Adeyemo, and members of the State Executive Committee.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Mustapha said they left the APM because of what he described as dissatisfaction with the political leadership in the state.
He also made allegations against Governor Makinde and some of his political associates, while declaring his support for the APC.
The APC chairman in Oluyole, Prince Dotun Oladipupo, presented the defectors to Adeyemo, who formally welcomed them into the party.
Adeyemo urged the new members to put their differences behind them and work towards the success of the APC.
In Ibadan North-East, more than 3,000 members of the PDP and Accord also reportedly joined the APC.
The PDP candidate for Ibadan North-East State Constituency II, Hon. Hammed Taoreed Ademola, popularly known as Lucky, and the Accord aspirant for the same constituency, Hon. Adedapo Ojo, led hundreds of their supporters into the APC.
Ademola said his decision to leave the PDP was based on what he described as his assessment of the political situation ahead of the 2027 election.
“I did my due diligence and I came to realise any ticket outside the APC is a mere tissue paper which cannot take a candidate anywhere in 2027. We are here in our hundreds to join the APC formally and we promise to do our best in the interest of the progressive party and our dear country, Nigeria,” he said.
Ojo, while explaining his decision to leave Accord, said he and his supporters had initially sought to make the party a viable alternative in the state but later decided to join the APC.
“We thought about making Accord a credible alternative in the state but we later realised that the APC was ahead of other parties by far. We wasted our time, energy and resources on an unproductive exercise. We later realised it wasn’t worth it. So we decided to pitch our tent with the progressive party and here we are today,” he said.
Receiving the new members, the APC state chairman, Moses Alake-Adeyemo, assured them of equal opportunities within the party.
He urged them to work for the success of the party’s candidates in the 2027 general elections.
Also speaking, the APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, said the party was prepared to accommodate new members.
Alli promised what he described as an inclusive administration if elected, including regular payment of workers’ salaries and pensions, improved working conditions and investment in infrastructure.
He also promised the establishment of an ICT hub in Ibadan within six months of taking office and its replication in Oke-Ogun, Ogbomoso, Oyo and Ibarapa.
He said his administration would also prioritise the provision of infrastructure and basic amenities across the state’s 33 local government areas, including properly equipped general hospitals.
The latest defections come amid increasing political activities and realignments by parties and political actors ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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