On Monday, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde formally received thousands of defectors from the All Progressives Congress (APC) into the Allied People’s Movement (APM) at the Boye Nation/JAF Movement Mega Concert in Ibadan. The defectors, led by Ajiboye Sangogade, Personal Assistant and loyalist to former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, were drawn from several local government areas across the state. Makinde expressed confidence that the APM would win massively in all elections in 2027.
The event, themed “Young, United, Unstoppable (YUU)”, served as the official reception for Sangogade and his supporters into the APM. The mega concert featured electrifying performances by Fuji stars, including Alhaji Taye Currency and Aare Rasaq Ayanfe. Top government officials, serving members of the House of Representatives and the Oyo State House of Assembly, commissioners, APM leaders, and other government functionaries attended the event.
Governor Makinde advised the APC governorship candidate, Barrister Sharafadeen Alli, to focus on persuading the electorate to support him instead of criticizing his administration. Makinde reiterated his earlier position that Alli is a mediocre lawyer and expressed confidence that voters would choose the APM candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi, a certified accountant, over Alli.
Makinde also addressed criticisms that, as an engineer, he powers streetlights with diesel generators. He noted that if the APC-led Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had successfully resolved Nigeria’s electricity challenges, the situation would have been different. He reminded Nigerians of Tinubu’s campaign promise that he should not be re-elected if he failed to fix the nation’s power problem.
The governor stated that God, the people of Oyo State, and Nigerians at large are firmly behind the APM, assuring that victory is only a matter of time. He encouraged Alli to channel his efforts toward contesting against Adekanmbi rather than criticizing his administration. Makinde emphasized that the people of Oyo State would not allow the state to regress.
The defectors included three APM senatorial candidates, 14 APM House of Representatives candidates, 32 APM House of Assembly candidates, and 33 APM Local Government Chairmanship candidates. The event marked a significant boost to the APM’s chances in the 2027 elections. Makinde’s prediction of a landslide victory for the APM is seen as a major setback for the APC.
The influx of defectors into the APM is expected to strengthen the party’s position in Oyo State. With the support of prominent leaders like Adelabu and Sangogade, the APM is likely to pose a significant challenge to the APC in the 2027 elections. The development has also sparked speculation about the prospects of other political parties in the state.
Key points
- Thousands of APC members and Adelabu supporters defect to APM in Oyo State
- Governor Seyi Makinde predicts landslide victory for APM in 2027 elections
- Defectors include senatorial candidates, House of Representatives candidates, and Local Government Chairmanship candidates
