5,000 PDP members defect to APC in Ogun, led by former chairman Sikirullahi Ogundele, as political activity intensifies ahead of the 2027 election
No fewer than 5,000 Peoples Democratic Party members and supporters in Ogun State joined the All Progressives Congress at a reception in Ilaro on Sunday, September 20, 2026, where Governor Dapo Abiodun, APC governorship candidate Senator Solomon Adeola and state party chairman Yemi Sanusi welcomed the defectors ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Also read: Ogun PDP Alleges APC Intimidation Ahead of 2027 Poll
The defectors were drawn largely from Ogun West Senatorial District, with former Ogun PDP chairman Sikirullahi Ogundele among the prominent politicians who formally crossed to the ruling party.
The development adds a significant new dimension to the political contest in Ogun, where parties are already positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Ogundele, who previously served as chairman of the PDP in the state, said he decided to leave the opposition party after spending seven years in its ranks.
He described his decision as an attempt to escape what he called “political slavery” within the PDP and argued that the movement of prominent politicians away from the party reflected its internal difficulties.
“The truth is that there is nothing like the PDP again in the state; what is left behind is an empty shell,” Ogundele said.
He said the defectors were prepared to bring their political experience and grassroots networks to the APC ahead of the 2027 election.
“We have therefore moved away from the opposition party and embraced the APC, which we know is also the next victorious party in the state come 2027 elections,” Ogundele said.
His comments represent the position of the defectors and should not be taken as an independent assessment of the PDP’s strength or its prospects in the election.
Several other former PDP officials were among those who joined the APC, including former state publicity secretary Akinloye Bankole, former Yewa North Local Government chairman Soji Eweje, former PDP woman leader Kemi Adeyemi and Ganiu Dada, popularly known as Obanibasiri.
The APC state chairman, Yemi Sanusi, formally presented the party’s broom symbol to the new members and assured them that they would be integrated into the party.
Sanusi also urged the defectors to work at ward level to support APC candidates in the 2027 elections.
Governor Abiodun welcomed the new members and said the APC would accommodate them within its structure.
“I want to thank those who have seen the light and have decided to be part of the APC,” Abiodun said.
“I assure all of you that you will all be accommodated in the scheme of things. So let us all work together as one united family and deliver a landmark victory for the APC in the 2027 general elections.”
The reported defection comes at a politically sensitive moment for Ogun APC candidate Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi.
Adeola’s candidacy and state-of-origin status have recently become subjects of political and legal disputes involving opposition figures and other political actors.
Adeola has rejected allegations that he is originally from Ekiti State and threatened legal action against critics who have made the claims.
Abayomi Hunye and PDP chieftain Folake Marcus-Bello have maintained their positions and said they are prepared to defend their claims in court.
The dispute has also spilled into legal proceedings. The Young Progressives Party and BOOT Party recently denied claims that they had authorised the withdrawal of their legal challenge concerning Adeola’s candidacy, saying any such matter should be established through court records.
Against that backdrop, Ogundele used the Ilaro gathering to dismiss the controversy surrounding Adeola’s origin as part of a recurring pattern in Ogun politics.
He cited previous disputes involving former governors Olusegun Osoba, Gbenga Daniel and Ibikunle Amosun, arguing that similar questions had been raised about their origins before they eventually became governors.
Those comparisons are Ogundele’s political argument rather than an independent determination of the current dispute surrounding Adeola.
The latest movement also follows growing political activity within Ogun ahead of 2027.
The APC has reaffirmed Adeola as its governorship candidate, while opposition parties and political groups continue to challenge aspects of his candidacy and campaign.
Reports on the number of people who joined the APC at the Ilaro event have varied.
The reports directly covering the event put the figure at 5,000, while another account cited a substantially higher figure.
The 5,000 figure is therefore retained here because it is the number consistently reported by the principal reports used for this story.
For the APC, the arrival of former PDP officials gives the party additional political figures and organisers in Ogun West.
For the PDP, the departure of a former state chairman and other former officials represents a notable development as the 2027 contest approaches.
The significance of the movement will ultimately depend on whether the new APC members translate their political networks into sustained grassroots activity across Ogun’s wards and local government areas.
Also read: Ogun PDP Alleges APC Intimidation Ahead of 2027 Poll
For now, the Ilaro reception signals that the political realignment ahead of the 2027 Ogun governorship election is gathering pace, with both the ruling APC and opposition parties facing an increasingly active campaign period.
