BREAKING: Six Oyo reps dump PDP, join APM

Six members of the house of representatives from Oyo state has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

At the resumption of plenary following the Sallah break, the speaker of the house of representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the session, read 13 letters announcing the change of party affiliations by lawmakers.

Recall that Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo state, a few weeks ago, defected to the APM, on which platform he has already declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election.

The Oyo members loyal to Makinde who defected to the APM on Tuesday are Anthony Adebayo, Adedeji Olajide, Sunday Makanjuola, Oyedeji Oyeshina, Fola Oyekunle, and Adigun Adekunle.

In their letters of defection, the lawmakers cited the protracted internal crisis and leadership tussle within the PDP as the reason for seeking an alternative political platform to pursue their ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections.

With this development, Governor Makinde has taken six out of the 14 members of the Oyo State caucus in the House of Representatives with him to the APM.

Meanwhile, the PDP both lost and gained members on the floor of the House on Tuesday.

In Bauchi State, Auwalu Gwalabe also defected from the PDP to the APM, while Shehu Dalhatu, representing Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa Federal Constituency of Katsina State, left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the PDP.

In his letter of defection, Dalhatu stated, “After careful consideration of the issues in the APC and having consulted with my constituencies, I have resolved to join the PDP.”

Similarly, Delta lawmaker Etanabene Benedict defected from the Labour Party (LP) to the PDP, citing “the crisis in the LP” in the South-South state.

The PDP also gained another member, Alex Egbona, who defected from the APC to the party, noting that his “commitment to the House and his constituency remains unshakeable.”

In another development, Edo legislator Esosa Iyawe, who had defected three times within three years, again left the APC for the Nigeria Democratic Congress, blaming “Irreconciliable difference with the Edo State chapter of the APC for his decision.”

Also, Nasarawa lawmaker Gbefwi Gaza announced his defection from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the Labour Party (LP).