Published by Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The political landscape in Oyo State shifted dramatically on Friday, October 2, 2026, as a wave of defections swept through the camps of the Peoples Democratic Party, the Allied Peoples Movement, and the Accord Party, with a sitting PDP candidate, a staunch loyalist of Governor Seyi Makinde, and an Accord aspirant leading thousands of their supporters into the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The defection ceremony, held at a private facility on Old Ife Road in Ibadan, was attended by prominent APC stakeholders, including the state chairman, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo; the party's governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli; his running mate, Adesoji Adedeji; and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Aderemi Oseni. The event marked one of the most significant political realignments in the state since the 2023 general elections and signaled the APC's determination to reclaim power in Oyo State after years in opposition.
At the centre of the defection was Hon. Hammed Taoreed Ademola, the PDP candidate for Ibadan North East State Constituency 2 in the 2027 elections, who abandoned his party's ticket and led about 1,000 supporters into the APC. Ademola, popularly known as "Lucky," said his decision was informed by what he described as the political reality on the ground in Oyo State. "I did my due diligence and came to realise that any ticket apart from the APC ticket is a mere tissue paper which cannot take a candidate anywhere in 2027," he said. "We are here in our hundreds to formally join the APC, and we promise to do our best in the interest of the progressive party and our dear country, Nigeria."
Joining him was Hon. Mustapha Kazeem, a staunch loyalist of Governor Seyi Makinde in Oluyole Local Government Area, who dumped the ruling Allied Peoples Movement and joined the APC with more than 1,000 supporters. Kazeem, popularly known as "Oba Oluyole," had been a key figure in the APM's grassroots structure in Oluyole, and his defection represents a significant blow to the ruling party's support base in the local government.
Also defecting was Hon. Adedapo Ojo, an Accord Party aspirant for Ibadan North East State Constituency 2, who crossed over to the APC alongside hundreds of his supporters. Ojo, otherwise known as "Bibire," described Accord as a political distraction, urging voters to align with the APC. "We thought about making Accord a credible alternative in the state, but we later realised that the APC is far ahead of the other parties," he said. "Without wanting to waste our time, energy and resources on an unproductive exercise, we decided to pitch our tent with the APC, and here we are today."
Receiving the defectors, the Oyo State APC Chairman, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, assured them of full integration into the party and equal opportunities with existing members. He said the new members would not be discriminated against and urged them to immediately begin mobilising for the victory of all APC candidates in the 2027 general election. "The people of Oyo State are tired of the maladministration of the APM, hence their desire for a change," Adeyemo said. "APC remains the only party that can produce the required change in 2027. You have made the right decision. I am assuring you that you will not regret your action."
The APC governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, who represents Oyo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, used the occasion to outline his programme for the state. He promised to run an inclusive administration that would treat all zones of the state fairly if elected governor in 2027. "It is a thing of joy that reasonable individuals are abandoning their parties to join the APC at a time like this," Alli said. "The hope is getting brighter every day, and it is now important for us to get more prepared because Oyo State deserves the best from May 2027. We have been saying that we will run an all-inclusive government which every indigene and resident of the state will be proud of."
Alli assured civil servants and pensioners of prompt payment of salaries and allowances and promised to establish standard ICT hubs across Ibadan, Oke-Ogun, Ogbomoso, Oyo, and Ibarapa before January 2029. He also said his administration would ensure all 33 local government councils in the state are equipped with functional general hospitals. "Our government will revamp the education, health and other sectors of the economy," he said. "We are going to rejig the security architecture to bring an end to the reported cases of kidnapping, banditry and other vices in the past seven and a half years. There will also be a civil service reform with the training and retraining of workers." Alli also pledged to revisit the issue of the Circular Road that has left thousands of people homeless and identified local government autonomy as another priority of his proposed administration.
The defection ceremony was not the only political event of the day. Hon. Olamiposi Ojo, who led members from Accord, said their decision to join the APC was based on what he described as the party's commitment to internal democracy. He also cited the leadership of President Bola Tinubu and what he described as the President's impact on the country as factors behind their decision. "Our decision is based on the leadership quality of President Bola Tinubu and the way he has been able to transform the country," he said.
The defections represent a significant boost for the APC in Oyo State, which has been in opposition at the state level since 2019 when Governor Seyi Makinde of the PDP won the governorship. Makinde, who is serving his second term, is constitutionally barred from seeking re-election in 2027, creating an open contest for the state's top job. The APC's ability to attract defectors from the PDP, APM, and Accord is seen as a sign of the party's growing momentum ahead of the 2027 elections, though the true test of its strength will come at the polls.
For the PDP, the defection of a sitting candidate is a significant blow, particularly in Ibadan North East, a constituency with considerable electoral weight. The party has not yet issued an official statement on the defections, but the loss of Ademola and his supporters will require the party to regroup and find a replacement candidate for the constituency. The APM, which is the governing party in the state, has also suffered a setback with the defection of Kazeem and his followers in Oluyole. The Accord Party, which had been positioning itself as a credible alternative, has lost an aspirant in the same constituency.
As the 2027 general elections approach, the political realignments in Oyo State are likely to intensify. The APC, buoyed by the defections, will seek to build on the momentum, while the PDP, APM, and Accord will need to shore up their support bases and prevent further defections. The coming months will reveal whether the APC's gains translate into electoral victory or whether the defections are merely a temporary shift in a fluid political landscape. For now, the party has sent a clear message: it is serious about reclaiming Oyo State in 2027.
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