The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ogun State has denied reports that its Ogun East Senatorial District structure has collapsed into the All Progressives Congress (APC). The party said the claims are false and misleading, insisting that its organization remains united, functional and firmly committed to winning the forthcoming Elections in the state.
The controversy began on Monday when news circulated that the ADC’s Ogun East Senatorial District had decamped to the APC to support the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi. ADC Chairman in Ijebu North East, Erinle Opeoluwa, said the defectors chose to align with Yayi because they were weary of opposition politics, which he claimed had yielded no results for them in three election cycles, leaving many of them worse off in Ogun State. Opeoluwa and nine other chairmen – Kazeem Adebanjo of Ijebu North LGA, Dehinsilu Olusegun of Ikenne LGA, Gbade Oluwasegun of Ijebu Ode, Shittu Titilola of Ijebu East LGA, Omooba Kazeem of Sagamu LGA, Adegoroye Osubukola of Remo North LGA, Salisu Abdulwaheed of Odogbolu LGA, Ibidunni Adetola and Yemi Macauley, both ADC chieftains in Ijebu Ode – reportedly joined the APC.
In a statement released on Monday, ADC State Publicity Secretary Olumide Onabajo said the report did not reflect the true position in the party. “We wish to state categorically that the report is false, misleading, and does not reflect the true position of our party. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ogun East did not collapse its structure into the APC. The party remains united, functional, and firmly committed to win the forthcoming elections in the state,” Onabajo said. “For the avoidance of doubt, the individuals reported to have joined the APC acted strictly in their personal capacities. Their decisions do not represent the position of the African Democratic Congress, nor do they amount to a collapse of the party’s structure in Ogun East. While we acknowledge the constitutional right of every Nigerian to freedom of association, it is important to state that the decision of these individuals to defect does not constitute the collapse of the ADC structure in Ogun East Senatorial District,” he added.
Onabajo explained that a political party’s structure comprises constitutionally recognized leadership, executives and organs at ward, local government, senatorial and state levels, “not merely individual members or chieftains.” He added that ADC structures across the nine local government areas in Ogun East “remain intact, operational, and committed to strengthening the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.” The ADC image maker accused those behind the report of deliberate misrepresentation intended to create “a false impression of political reality” in the senatorial district. He urged members, supporters and the general public to disregard the narrative, saying the ADC “remains focused, united, and resolute in providing a credible alternative for the people of Ogun State.”
The party’s statement underscores its commitment to maintaining organizational integrity amid allegations of defections. By emphasizing that individual defections do not equate to structural collapse, the ADC signals that it remains poised to contest upcoming elections with unity and operational readiness across all nine local government areas in Ogun East.
