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), signaling a major political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The defections were announced during the House plenary session after the Sallah break, following the recent move by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to the APM as he pursues his 2027 presidential ambition.
Speaker Tajudeen Abbas read several letters of defection from lawmakers across different political parties, reflecting the growing wave of cross-carpeting in the National Assembly.
Of the 14 House members representing Oyo State, six lawmakers left the PDP. They are Anthony Adebayo, Adedeji Olajide, Sunday Makanjuola, Oyedeji Oyeshina, Fola Oyekunle, and Adigun Adekunle.
In their letters, the lawmakers cited persistent internal crises, leadership disputes, and factional divisions within the PDP as the reasons for their decision to join the APM.
The APM also gained another member in the House as Bauchi State lawmaker Auwalu Gwalabe defected from the PDP to the party, further strengthening its presence in the lower chamber.
Despite the losses, the PDP recorded gains from other parties. Katsina lawmaker Shehu Dalhatu defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP, saying he made the decision after consultations with his constituents.
In Cross River State, Alex Egbona also left the APC for the PDP, while Delta State representative Etanabene Benedict dumped the Labour Party (LP) for the PDP, citing leadership challenges within the party.
Other changes included Edo lawmaker Esosa Iyawe leaving the APC for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) over alleged irreconcilable differences, while Nasarawa representative Gbefwi Gaza defected from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the Labour Party.
