APM chieftains quit party and join ADC in Oyo as Apostle Taiwo Olaleru and Alhaji Bashiru Ganiyu lead scores of members ahead of 2027
Apostle Taiwo Olaleru, Alhaji Bashiru Ganiyu and scores of Allied Peoples Movement chieftains and members from Ogo Oluwa and Surulere Local Government Areas of Oyo State have defected to the African Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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The defectors announced their move at the weekend, citing dissatisfaction with the APM and expressing confidence in the ADC and its Oyo State governorship candidate, Chief Adegboyega Adegoke.
Olaleru and Ganiyu, who led the group, accused the APM of being characterised by what they described as deceit and false promises.
Olaleru said the decision followed a search for what the defectors considered a more credible political platform ahead of the next election.
“We have discovered that we need to move to a better party and we see the ADC and its governorship candidate, Olooye Adegoke, as a place we should move to and the person we can trust,” Olaleru said.
Ganiyu said the defectors believed the ADC could deliver meaningful benefits to residents of their communities if the party secured political power in the state.
“We are pleased to be in his party and we prayed that his aspirations to govern the state will be crowned with victory,” Ganiyu said.
The development represents another movement of political actors towards the ADC as parties begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
The defectors were formally received into the ADC by Adegoke, who welcomed them and assured the new members that they would have the same opportunities as existing members of the party.
Adegoke also urged the new entrants to contribute actively to the growth of the ADC and work towards strengthening the party at the grassroots.
The latest defection comes as political activity gradually intensifies across Oyo State, with politicians and supporters assessing party platforms ahead of the 2027 contest.
For the ADC, the arrival of APM members from two local government areas offers an opportunity to expand its grassroots presence and deepen its organisation ahead of the election.
The move also highlights the fluid nature of political alignments in Oyo State, where politicians are increasingly weighing party structures, candidate appeal and their prospects ahead of the 2027 polls.
While the defectors have expressed strong confidence in Adegoke, their claims about the APM remain their own assessment and were not independently substantiated in the announcement.
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The coming months are expected to bring further realignments as political parties consolidate their structures and intensify mobilisation across the state.
