Mass Defections from the Allied People’s Movement (APM) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) have thrown Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s political camp into a fresh test, ahead of the 2027 governorship election. The state government has dismissed reports of a crisis as “propaganda disguised as news.”
Mass Defections Shake the Governor’s Camp
A report alleges that the exodus of high-profile politicians over the past two months has left the governor’s structure in disarray. The latest departures reportedly came from the Ogbomoso zone, including Chief of Staff Segun Ogunwuyi, Alhaji Rasak Gbadegesin (Agbeti), and the APM chairman in Ogbomoso North, Hon. Jimoh Sikiru. Local government representatives from Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South, Surulere and Ogo-Oluwa were also named.
Earlier exits include Budget and Economic Planning Commissioner Ayobami Oluwaseun Ojo and his Special Adviser, Simeon Adegbola Oyeleke, who resigned effective November 2. Sunday Olugbenga Falana (OYSIEC) and Tara Adefope (Due Process Office) also stepped down. Former Deputy Governor Taofeek Arapaja and Advisory Council chairman Hosea Agboola have reportedly joined the APC.
Secret Meetings Allegedly Fail to Stop Mass Defections
The report claims Governor Makinde has held daily meetings with loyalists at his Ikolaba and Kolapo Ishola Estate residences in Ibadan. Unnamed sources said participants traced the crisis to his unilateral choice of Adekanmbi as the party’s 2027 governorship candidate. The last meeting reportedly ended in the early hours of Thursday without a strategy to halt the trend.
Oyo Government Hits Back at “Falsehood”
In a statement signed by Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Special Adviser (Media) to the Governor, the government called the report “a calculated mix of distortions, half-truths and outright fabrications.” It said the governor does not need “secret meetings” to engage stakeholders, and that his leadership is “anchored on consultation, inclusiveness and engagement.”
The government argued that movement between parties is routine in a democracy and that, for every exit, many more people join the APM. It also noted that the report relies on unnamed sources and that no one sought official clarification.
The statement cited prompt payment of workers’ salaries, attention to pension obligations, road projects across all geopolitical zones, and gains in healthcare, education, agribusiness and security. It challenged the APC to explain why, despite controlling the Federal Government, it has struggled to offer “a compelling alternative.”
What Mass Defections Mean for the 2027 Race
With the governorship election approaching, the two accounts are sharply at odds. One describes a crumbling structure. The other describes a united, vibrant political family with the people as “the ultimate judges.” Which account holds will depend on whether the departures continue, and on how voters in Oyo State respond.
