Over 1,500 PDP Members Defect to APC in Oyo State, Reshaping Political Landscape

Mass Defection Rocks Oyo PDP in Ido Local Government

In a significant political development, over 1,500 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State have officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The mass cross-carpeting event took place on Sunday, November 2, 2025, at the constituency office of Hon. Remi Oseni in the Ologuneru area of Ibadan, the state capital.

Hon. Remi Oseni, who represents the Ido and Ibarapa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and also serves as the Chairman of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), received the new members. He described the event as 'unprecedented in the history of the local government' and declared that the PDP in Ido local government was 'dead' due to the large number of high-profile defections.

Key Figures and Reasons for the Shift

Among the prominent PDP leaders who joined the APC was Bolaji Adeoye, who led the defectors. Adeoye referred to the group as 'returnees,' stating, 'We have been with Oseni since all this while.' Other notable figures who defected include Rasaki Elewedu, Kasali Akande, Lateef Lawal, Nureni Adeyemi, Olorun Ero, Segun Ojo, and Dauda Afolabi.

Hon. Oseni attributed the influx of members to the 'creditably well' performance of the APC-led Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu. He assured the new members of equal treatment within the APC, emphasizing that they would not be regarded as newcomers. The lawmaker expressed confidence that the APC would defeat the PDP and reclaim power in Oyo State during the 2027 general elections.

A Broader Trend Across Oyo State

This recent defection in Ido LGA is part of a broader trend of political realignments observed in Oyo State. Earlier in the year, on May 3, 2025, hundreds of PDP members from Egbeda and Ona Ara local government areas also joined the APC. This event occurred at an APC meeting held at Elekuro High School, Olorunsogo Ibadan, and was attended by Kazeem Akinola, an APC aspirant for the Egbeda/Ona-Ara federal constituency, with an eye on the 2027 elections.

Furthermore, on November 1, 2024, over 800 PDP members in the Ibadan North Local Government Area had similarly defected to the APC. They were received by the State acting Chairman of the APC, Moshood Abass, who voiced optimism about the party's prospects in the 2027 elections. Another significant defection occurred on September 15, 2025, when Hon. Seun McNelson Babarinde, a former PDP chieftain in Ogbomoso North Local Government Area, also moved to the APC, citing the 'impressive performance' of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's 'Renewed Hope Agenda.'

PDP's Perspective on Defections

While the APC celebrates these gains, the Peoples Democratic Party has offered a different perspective. Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, a PDP stalwart, commented on the wave of defections to the APC on October 17, 2025. He stated that such political realignments are a 'distraction' from the country's worsening economic hardship.

Governor Makinde emphasized that the focus should be on addressing critical issues like hunger, unemployment, and the erosion of dignity, rather than on who is changing parties. He remarked, 'For me, the only defection that truly matters is the one that has not happened yet — the defection of hunger. I will only be moved when hunger defects into the APC.'

Implications for Oyo State Politics

The continuous movement of members from the PDP to the APC in various local government areas of Oyo State underscores the dynamic and competitive nature of Nigerian politics, particularly as the 2027 general elections draw closer. These defections are poised to significantly influence the political landscape and electoral calculations in the state, potentially strengthening the APC's position while challenging the PDP to consolidate its base.