By Mercy Adi
Five members of the National Assembly elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party have formally defected to the All Progressives Congress in Osun State.
Those who switched allegiance on Saturday in Osogbo, the state capital, include Senator Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi (Osun East), Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi (Osun Central), Omirin Olusanya (Ijesa South Federal Constituency), Wole Oke (Ijesa North Federal Constituency), and Taofeek Ajilesoro (Ife Central Federal Constituency).
They were received into the APC by party leaders, members and supporters at a ceremony attended by chieftains of the party.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, described the defection as a major boost for the APC ahead of the August 8, 2026 governorship election in the state.
“In the APC, there are no strangers. We are one united family,” Oyetola said.
“Your arrival strengthens our resolve to reclaim Osun and restore dignity to governance.”
He said the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu since assuming office had laid the foundation for Nigeria’s rebirth, adding that the party would work for his re-election in 2027.
“That is why we proudly and confidently endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in 2027 — to consolidate these gains and secure lasting prosperity,” he said.
Oyetola urged party members to mobilise at the grassroots ahead of the governorship poll.
“Our mission is clear: reclaim Osun and return it to serious, people-focused governance. But victory will come only through unity, hard work, and grassroots mobilisation,” he added.
The Osun APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, said the entry of the lawmakers would strengthen the party’s structure and electoral prospects.
“There will be no discrimination in access to political opportunities, irrespective of the time of joining the party,” Lawal said.
Similarly, the APC governorship candidate in the state, Bola Oyebamiji, called for unity among party members ahead of the 2026 and 2027 elections.
“The progressive family in Osun must stand as one. Unity within our ranks is non-negotiable,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Senator Fadahunsi said the decision to leave the PDP was taken after wide consultations and deep reflection.
“Today, after long reflection, we have made the decision to leave the PDP and officially join the APC. This is not a whimsical decision. It is a collective move by our political family in Osun State,” he said.
Fadahunsi expressed gratitude to the PDP for providing the platform on which he and others were elected but said their interests were no longer adequately represented.
“For nearly six years, the PDP and the people of Osun East walked side by side. Yet, despite this history, our voices were too often disregarded when it mattered most,” he said.
“It has therefore become necessary to seek affiliation where our interests as a region are represented in the form of fair partnership.”
He said the lawmakers were joining the APC to align with what he described as a “visionary partnership” under President Tinubu.
“I have found in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not just a leader of our nation, but a partner in purpose — a man with the courage to make tough choices that secure lasting prosperity,” he added.
The defectors were accompanied by thousands of supporters, in what party leaders described as a major political realignment ahead of the 2026 governorship election in the state.