Governor Dapo Abiodun calls PDP an empty shell after key party leaders, including Abiodun Akinlade and Sikirulai Ogundele, defect to the APC in Ogun State

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as an “empty shell,” following a sweeping wave of defections of high-ranking party leaders to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

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The governor made the remark while receiving several PDP and Allied People’s Movement (APM) heavyweights led by former PDP deputy governorship candidate Abiodun Akinlade into the ruling party at a high-profile event in Abeokuta.

Akinlade, who had previously contested for governor under the APM, was joined by notable political figures including former PDP chairman Sikirulai Ogundele, House of Assembly member Hon. Luqmon Atobatele, and former Ogun Local Government Service Commission chairman Hon. Rotimi Rahaman.

Also defecting were Hon. Idowu Olowofuja, Dr. Mojeed Ekelojumati, and thousands of supporters across the 236 wards of the state.

Governor Abiodun praised the move, calling it a “homecoming” and urging the APC structure at all levels to warmly embrace the new members.

“Our brothers have come back home,” Abiodun declared. “They left a sinking ship and joined the progressives. We will accord you all the rights, privileges, and respect you deserve.”

He emphasized that the defectors followed proper political protocols by first returning to their local wards before making a public declaration a move he said underscored their grassroots loyalty and political maturity.

Akinlade, in his remarks, reaffirmed their loyalty to Governor Abiodun and the APC leadership at both state and national levels.

“This is not a decamping. This is a movement,” Akinlade stated. “We have left no one behind because we believe in the vision and leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun.”

Former PDP state chairman Sikirulai Ogundele echoed the sentiment, describing their defection as a well-considered decision influenced by Governor Abiodun’s performance and the progressive strides of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“This is a historic day. The most responsible members of the PDP and APM across all 236 wards are moving en masse to the APC,” Ogundele said.

Also speaking, Hon. Luqmon Atobatele, a sitting member of the Ogun State House of Assembly, lauded the governor for his bipartisan leadership style.

“I wrote to him when 40 U.S.-based doctors came to my constituency. He responded by providing 40 hotel rooms, vehicles, and security all for an opposition lawmaker. No governor in Ogun has done that before,” Atobatele shared.

The wave of defections signals a major political realignment in Ogun State as the 2027 elections loom.

Also read: Dapo Abiodun: A desperate governor scrambling to salvage a tarnished reputation ahead of 2027

Analysts say the movement could significantly reshape the state’s political landscape, weakening the PDP’s presence and solidifying the APC’s dominance.