Defection shock as Oyo lawmakers join APM amid crisis

Oyo lawmakers defect APM as six House of Representatives members leave PDP citing internal crisis and leadership tussle ahead of 2027 elections

Six members of the House of Representatives from Oyo State, including Anthony Adebayo, Adedeji Olajide, Sunday Makanjuola, Oyedeji Oyeshina, Fola Oyekunle and Adigun Adekunle, on Tuesday defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) during plenary at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.

Also read: Oyo teachers launch indefinite strike over school abductions

The defections, formally announced by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas while presiding over proceedings following the Sallah break, were contained in a series of letters submitted by lawmakers across different constituencies, marking a significant political realignment within the lower chamber.

Oyo lawmakers’ defection to the APM was attributed to prolonged internal disputes and leadership tensions within the PDP, which the legislators said had made it increasingly difficult to pursue their political ambitions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The move is widely interpreted as a major political shift within the Oyo State caucus, with the affected lawmakers believed to be aligned with Governor Seyi Makinde, who has reportedly emerged as the presidential candidate of the APM following his own defection to the party.

The development has effectively altered the balance of representation from Oyo State in the House of Representatives, with Makinde now said to control six out of the 14 federal lawmakers from the state.

Political observers view the defection as a powerful indicator of rising tensions within the PDP and a possible realignment of political forces ahead of the next election cycle.

While the leadership of the House acknowledged receipt of the defection letters, no formal disciplinary action or ruling on the legality of the moves was announced during the plenary session.

Also read: Oyo teachers launch indefinite strike over school abductions

The PDP has yet to issue an official response to the mass defection at the time of filing this report.

Mariam Balogun