Six members of the House of Representatives from Oyo State on Tuesday formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), marking a significant political shift ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The defections were announced during plenary at the House of Representatives following the Sallah recess, coming weeks after Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde moved to the APM amid preparations for his 2027 presidential bid.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read the lawmakers’ letters of defection, which cited persistent internal crises, leadership disputes, and factional divisions within the PDP as reasons for their departure.
The six Oyo lawmakers who joined the APM are Anthony Adebayo, Adedeji Olajide, Sunday Makanjuola, Oyedeji Oyeshina, Fola Oyekunle, and Adigun Adekunle. They represent nearly half of Oyo State’s delegation in the House.
The APM also expanded its ranks with the defection of Bauchi State lawmaker Auwalu Gwalabe from the PDP, further boosting the party’s presence in the lower chamber.
Despite the losses, the PDP recorded fresh gains as Katsina lawmaker Shehu Dalhatu left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the opposition party after consultations with his constituents. Cross River representative Alex Egbona also moved from the APC to the PDP, while Delta lawmaker Etanabene Benedict dumped the Labour Party for the PDP.
Other defections announced during plenary included Edo representative Esosa Iyawe, who left the APC for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and Nasarawa lawmaker Gbefwi Gaza, who switched from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the Labour Party, underscoring the growing political realignments ahead of 2027.
