Like Bala Mohammed, Makinde, loyalists may defect to APM

Oyo state Governor and Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, Engr.Seyi Makinde appears set to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to multiple sources, the Governor has concluded arrangements to join his fourth political party in 20 years, having previously run under the platforms of the ANPP and SDP before securing his current seat with the PDP in 2019.

The move comes just two days before the May 9 deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the submission of digital membership registers.

Under the new Electoral Act and INEC guidelines, intending defectors must be registered with their new parties at least 21 days before primaries, which are scheduled for May 30, 2026.

Governor Makinde has reportedly instructed his loyalists and political aspirants within the state to abstain from obtaining PDP forms and instead prepare to move to the APM.

Signals of this mass defection have already emerged.

In the early hours of Thursday, May 7, two key allies, Hon. Anthony Adepoju, representing Ibarapa Central/Ibarapa North Federal Constituency, and Akeem Olatunji, the Executive Chairman of Oluyole Local Government officially announced their exit from the PDP. Sources indicate that a larger wave of resignations from the Governor’s camp is expected to follow within the next 48 hours to meet the INEC registration window.

The decision to join the APM mirrors the recent defection of Governor Bala Mohammed, suggesting a coordinated realignment among key PDP figures amidst internal party friction.

By shifting his base to the APM, Makinde seeks to consolidate his political structure outside the embattled PDP.

The Governor’s move is seen as a strategic play to secure a platform for his preferred successors and loyalists in the upcoming 2027 cycle, as the troubled state of the PDP continues to drive key stakeholders toward alternative parties.

With the May 9 deadline looming, all eyes are on the Agodi Government House for the formal declaration that will officially reshape the political landscape of Oyo State.