A total of 5,000 members and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections. The defectors, largely from the Ogun West Senatorial District, were formally received into the APC at a ceremony on Sunday at the Agunloye Pavilion in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area.
The event was attended by Governor Dapo Abiodun, APC governorship candidate Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, state APC chairman Yemi Sanusi, and other party leaders and supporters. One of the defectors, Evangelist Titus Eweje, former elected chairman of Yewa North Local Government Area, expressed his support for Senator Adeola's governorship ambition and other APC candidates in the 2027 general elections.
Former Ogun State PDP chairman Sikirullahi Ogundele led other prominent members of the opposition party into the APC. Ogundele said he spent seven years in the PDP before deciding to break away from what he described as "political slavery" within his former party. He cited the movement of some governors and prominent politicians away from the PDP as evidence of a deepening crisis within the party.
Ogundele addressed the controversy surrounding Adeola's claim to Ogun State roots, describing questions over the APC candidate's origin as a recurring feature of governorship contests in the state. He urged APC supporters to disregard the allegations, arguing that similar claims had been made against some past governors before their elections.
At the ceremony, Sanusi formally presented the APC's broom symbol to the defectors and assured them that their existing leadership roles would be recognised within the party. He urged the new members to return to their respective wards and work towards securing victory for the APC across elective positions in Ogun State in 2027.
Governor Abiodun commended the defectors for joining the APC, assuring them that they would be fully accommodated and integrated into the party. The development comes as political parties in Ogun State intensify their mobilisation and realignment efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The mass defections have been seen as a significant blow to the PDP in Ogun State, with Ogundele stating that remaining in the PDP would amount to "political suicide" for experienced politicians. The APC has welcomed the new members, with the party's leaders expressing confidence in their ability to secure victory in the 2027 elections.
Key points
- 5,000 PDP members and supporters have defected to the APC in Ogun State.
- The defectors cited a desire to break away from "political slavery" within the PDP.
- The mass defections have been seen as a significant blow to the PDP in Ogun State.
