No fewer than six members of the Oyo State caucus in the House of Representatives have formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), in a move that signals a major political realignment within the state’s federal legislative bloc.
The lawmakers are Anthony Adebayo, Adedeji Olajide, Sunday Makanjuola, Oyedeji Oyeshina, Fola Oyekunle and Adigun Adekunle.
Their defection was announced on Tuesday during plenary at the House of Representatives, shortly after lawmakers resumed from the Sallah break. The Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, read 13 separate letters notifying the chamber of party defections by lawmakers from different parts of the country.
In their letters, the lawmakers cited the protracted internal crisis and unresolved leadership disputes within the PDP as reasons for their decision to leave the party.
They argued that the lingering challenges had weakened internal cohesion, hampered effective political engagement and made it difficult for members to pursue their political objectives within the party.
According to them, joining the APM provides a more stable political platform as preparations begin ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The development comes amid ongoing political realignments in Oyo State and follows reports that Governor Seyi Makinde has also aligned with the APM, a move that has further reshaped the state’s political landscape and intensified speculation over emerging alliances ahead of the next election cycle.