The political map of the Ogun State House of Assembly has been redrawn, leaving the chamber under the full control of the All Progressives Congress (APC). What began in 2023 as a competitive legislature, with 17 APC and 9 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members, has now become a one-party assembly following the defection of the final six PDP lawmakers to the ruling party.
The erosion of opposition representation began in November 2023, when the Court of Appeal nullified the election of Babajide Owodunni (PDP), who represented the Ikenne State Constituency. The court ruled that Owodunni had withdrawn from the race before the election, and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a Certificate of Return to Olakunle Sobukanla of the APC. This decision reduced the PDP’s strength in the assembly to eight members.
The decline continued last year with the defection of two more PDP lawmakers—Rasheed Kashamu (Ijebu North I) and Lukman Atobatele (Abeokuta South I)—to the APC. The final shift came after the APC’s National Convention in Abuja, where six PDP members formally aligned with the ruling party. The defectors include Minority Leader Lukman Adeleye (Odogbolu), Lawal Samusideen (Ogun Waterside), Adesanya Oluseun Samuel (Ijebu North-East), Owode Waliu Ifedolapo (Jebu East), Bello Oluwadamilare (Sagamu I), and Dickson Kolawole Awolaja (Remo North).
Adeleye confirmed the move, citing internal divisions within the PDP, particularly between rival factions led by Kabiru Turaki and Nyesom Wike. He argued that aligning with the APC, which has strong ties to the presidency, offered a more stable political future ahead of the next election.
The PDP’s state secretary, Sunday Solarin, condemned the defections as a betrayal of the party and the electorate. He accused the lawmakers of abandoning their political base while clinging to the privileges of their legislative seats, calling for them to resign and seek fresh mandates under the APC if they truly believed in their new allegiance.
The APC’s Publicity Secretary, Nuberu Femi, framed the transition as a reflection of the party’s strong performance under Governor Dapo Abiodun. He emphasized that effective governance requires stability and harmony between the executive and legislative arms, rather than adversarial politics.
Public affairs analyst Comrade Olayinka Folarin warned that the emergence of a monolithic legislature poses a danger to Nigeria’s democracy, limiting voter choice and reducing accountability. He stressed that once elected, lawmakers’ primary duty is to the constitution and the people, not to any political party, and called on the assembly to uphold its responsibilities without compromise.
