Ogbomoso witnessed a major political earthquake on Tuesday as the immediate past Chief of Staff to Governor Seyi Makinde, Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi, led 32 prominent chieftains of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) out of the party into the All Progressives Congress (APC), in a dramatic political development that could significantly reshape the political equation in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The mass defection, which sent shockwaves through the political landscape of Ogbomoso, attracted an unprecedented gathering of APC leaders, supporters and grassroots mobilisers, as the defectors formally announced their entry into the opposition party at a mammoth rally held at Oja’Gbo, directly in front of Soun Ogunlola Hall, in the city centre.
The political spectacle was so massive that vehicular movement around the area was paralysed for more than three hours, as enthusiastic party faithful and residents flooded the venue to witness what could become a defining moment in the political history of Ogbomoso.
Leading the political exodus was Ogunwuyi, a former political ally and Chief of Staff to Governor Makinde, whose decision to abandon the APM for the APC has added considerable weight to the latest wave of political realignments in the state.
Other prominent defectors included Alhaji Rasak Gbadegesin, popularly known as Agbeti; Hon. Timothy Oyeniyi; Hon. Alabi Olateju; Dr. Banji Folaranmi; Hon. Isaiah Adegbite; Hon. Peter Oyetunji; and the APM Chairman in Ogbomoso North Local Government, Hon. Jimoh Sikiru.
The defection also swept through the local government political structures, with council secretaries, chiefs of staff, supervisory councillors and special assistants attached to the chairmen of Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South, Surulere and Ogo-Oluwa Local Government Areas also joining the APC.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Ogunwuyi declared that their decision to join the APC was driven by the determination to contribute meaningfully to the party’s growth, strengthen its political structures and deliver electoral victories across Ogbomoso and beyond.
He stressed that they were not joining the APC merely to increase its membership but were bringing their political experience, organisational capacity and grassroots influence to add tangible value to the party.
Ogunwuyi expressed strong confidence that the APC would record a convincing victory in Ogbomoso Zone in the 2027 general elections, insisting that the collective political strength of the new entrants would significantly improve the party’s chances.
Welcoming the defectors, the Oyo State APC Chairman, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, assured them of equal opportunities, inclusiveness and a level playing field within the party, regardless of their previous political affiliations.
Adeyemo urged the new members to immediately integrate themselves into the APC’s existing structures and work harmoniously with established party leaders towards securing victory for all its candidates in the forthcoming general elections.
In what appeared to be a direct indictment of the internal political arrangement of the APM, one of the defectors, Dr. Banji Folaranmi, declared that he abandoned the party because it had allegedly become a one-man political organisation controlled exclusively by Governor Makinde.
Folaranmi maintained that the concentration of political authority in the hands of one individual had undermined the party’s collective character, suggesting that the situation made it difficult for other stakeholders to exercise meaningful influence over its direction and operations.
The APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, seized the opportunity to launch a political broadside against Governor Makinde, describing the APM as a collapsing political structure and arguing that the defection of prominent figures from the governor’s political camp was evidence of growing dissatisfaction within its ranks.
Alli said the decision of Ogunwuyi, Agbeti and other influential political figures to abandon the APM was a significant political statement that should not be taken lightly, particularly given their previous involvement in the governor’s administration and political structure.
“For the likes of Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi, Alh. Rasak Agbeti and other politicians of substance to abandon Governor Makinde, it means a lot, and I use this medium to tell the few ones that are still there to leave now and join us in the APC,” Alli declared.
The senator expressed confidence that the latest political development would strengthen the APC’s electoral machinery, energise its grassroots structures and provide additional momentum for his governorship ambition in 2027.
The rally was attended by an array of prominent APC leaders and political stakeholders, underscoring the importance the party attaches to consolidating its political influence in Ogbomoso and the wider Oke-Ogun and Oyo State political landscape.
Among the eminent personalities present were former senators Ayoade Adeseun and Brimoh Yusuf; Chief Kemi Alao-Akala; former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olagunju Ojo; Chief Akin Oke; Alhaji Bashiru Akataapa; Hon. Aderemi Adepoju; and Hon. Abiodun Adeyemo, popularly known as Obadoba.
Members of the Oyo State APC Executive Committee also graced the occasion, alongside the Director-General of the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Council, Asiwaju Yemi Aderibigbe, and his deputy, Hon. Sola Ogunbode.
Other political candidates and stakeholders in attendance included the APC deputy governorship candidate, Hon. Adesoji Adedeji; Mrs. Hannah Ogunesan; Hon. Segun Odebunmi; and Hon. Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala.
The convergence of these political heavyweights further reinforced the strategic significance of the defection, particularly as the APC intensifies efforts to build a formidable coalition capable of challenging the political dominance of the ruling camp in the state.
Ogunwuyi’s movement into the APC is particularly noteworthy because of his previous position as Chief of Staff to Governor Makinde, a strategic office that placed him within the inner circle of the state administration. His defection, alongside other prominent political actors and local government functionaries, could potentially weaken the APM’s political network and alter existing calculations ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Beyond the personalities involved, the movement of council officials, political appointees and grassroots mobilisers into the APC presents the opposition party with an opportunity to expand its organisational reach across the four local government areas represented at the rally.
