No fewer than 3,000 members of the Accord Party in Oyo State have defected to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), declaring their support for Governor Seyi Makinde and the party’s governorship candidate, Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi, ahead of the forthcoming elections.
The defectors, drawn from all 33 local government areas of the state, were formally received on Friday at a well-attended ceremony held at the APM Secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan.
Speaking at the event, the Oyo State APM Chairman, Otunba Peter Fagbenro, declared that the party remained united, stressing that the structure under his leadership was the only one recognised by the party’s national leadership.
He assured the new members that there was no faction within the party, describing APM as a united political platform with a common vision.
“We thank God that we are here today and that our party is making progress. This is the only structure recognised nationally, and there is no faction from top to bottom. That is the assurance I want to give us all.
“In our party, we are united and have three things in common. We are Nigerians, we are residents of Oyo State, and we all belong to the same party, APM,” Fagbenro said.
He urged members to maintain unity and intensify grassroots mobilisation to secure victory at the polls, encouraging eligible residents without voter cards to register and obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
Welcoming the defectors, the Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Makinde, Hon. Kazeem Adeniyi, alongside Hon. Wasiu Adeleke, expressed appreciation for their decision to join APM and assured them of full integration into the party’s activities.
They described APM as a political platform with direction, focus and opportunities for members to realise their political aspirations, urging them to work collectively towards delivering all the party’s candidates.
In his remarks, the Oyo State APM Deputy Governorship Candidate, Hon. Mufutau Open Salawu, described the defection as a significant development that would strengthen the party’s electoral prospects.
Salawu said the new members shared the party’s vision, adding that their collective commitment and grassroots influence would enhance APM’s chances across the state’s 351 electoral wards.
He urged them not to allow personal disagreements to undermine their commitment to the party, calling on them to support Governor Makinde’s continuity agenda.
“Your decision to join APM is very significant, and we appreciate it. Looking at your composition, I can see that you are like-minded people, and I believe our collaboration will yield positive results.
“We have 351 wards in the state, and no party can confidently claim to be the strongest in all of them. The beauty of our gathering today is our determination to work together, secure votes and emerge victorious. We must win the election,” he said.
He further assured the defectors that the party would not disappoint them or the people of Oyo State if elected into office.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, a leader of the Accord Party in the state, Hon. Philip Olasupo, attributed their decision to leave the party to prolonged court cases and internal crises rocking the Accord Party less than 75 days before the election.
According to him, the defectors were seeking a more stable political platform with a stronger prospect of winning the forthcoming election.
“As you all know, the Accord Party is currently facing a number of court cases and internal crises, with less than 75 days to the election. We do not want to remain in such a situation. We want to join a party that we are confident can win the coming election.
“We believe in Governor Seyi Makinde’s continuity agenda because of his track record in infrastructural and human capital development. We are confident of victory with our decision to join APM,” Olasupo said.
He disclosed that the group comprised more than 3,000 members from all 33 local government areas, including state executive members and youth leaders.
“We have representatives from all 33 local government areas. We also have state executives here, and we are more than 3,000 members in attendance today. We have youth leaders from all the local government areas,” he stated.
The defectors were formally received into the APM by a party leader and former Oyo State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Dayo Ogungbenro.
The development represents a significant addition to APM’s growing political base in Oyo State, with party leaders expressing optimism that the new alliance would strengthen their grassroots mobilisation and electoral fortunes ahead of the forthcoming polls.
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