Five federal lawmakers elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) banner formally defected to the All Progressives Congress ( APC) in Osogbo, Osun State, on Saturday, a significant shift ahead of the state’s 2026 governorship election.
The defectors are Senator Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East), Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi (Osun Central), and House of Representatives members Omirin Olusanya (Ijesa South), Wole Oke (Ijesa North), and Taofeek Ajilesoro (Ife Central). Their defection was publicly received by party officials and supporters in the state capital.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, who is a former governor of Osun, framed the move as a return to a unified political family. “In the APC, there are no strangers,” he stated. “Your arrival strengthens our resolve to reclaim Osun and restore dignity to governance.” He linked the development to the broader national agenda, endorsing President Bola Tinubu for a second term in 2027 to “consolidate these gains.”
The state APC Chairman, Tajudeen Lawal, asserted that the influx would unequivocally bolster the party’s structure and prospects for victory in the August 8, 2026 governorship poll and President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid. He emphasized the party’s tradition of non-discrimination, promising equal opportunity for all members regardless of when they joined.
The APC’s governorship candidate in Osun, Bola Oyebamiji, urged internal cohesion. “Unity within our ranks is non-negotiable,” he said, calling on all party segments to work collectively toward returning the state to “a path of growth, accountability, and inclusive development.”
This defection represents a notable realignment in Osun, a state that the PDP won in the 2022 governorship election. The influx of sitting federal legislators provides the APC with experienced political operatives and a morale boost as it mobilises for the imminent state poll and the next presidential cycle. The event underscores the fluidity of Nigeria’s party system and the strategic importance of Osun in the APC’s plan to regain control of the state and secure a strong mandate for President Tinubu’s second-term agenda. The parties will now intensify grassroots campaigning in the remaining two years before the 2026 election.
