At least 50 former PDP members and 15 ADC members join the ruling party during campaign visits to Wards 3 and 4
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State has recorded a fresh political gain ahead of the 2027 general elections, following the defection of at least 65 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the ruling party.
The opposition members were received during the party’s ongoing ward-to-ward campaign, which visited Ward 4, Elega, before proceeding to Ward 3, Ago-Oko, on Friday.
The defectors comprised no fewer than 50 PDP members led by Hon. Wale Popoola, a former PDP councillorship candidate in the 2024 local government elections, and 15 ADC members led by Mrs Isiwa Akingbade.
Their reception by the Abeokuta North APC leadership and prominent party figures added a significant political dimension to the campaign, strengthening the party’s grassroots mobilisation efforts in the two wards.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of Abeokuta North Local Government, Hon. Dr Lanre Oyeybola-Sodipo, welcomed the new members and commended their decision to join the APC, describing their defection as a demonstration of confidence in the party’s leadership and political direction.
He assured them of a warm reception and urged them to contribute actively to the party’s growth and electoral objectives.
The defection session was anchored by Alhaji Moruf Ajisegiri, a two-time former Chairman of Abeokuta North Local Government and former Majority Leader of the Ogun State House of Assembly.
In his remarks, Popoola expressed appreciation for the reception extended to him and other defectors.
He, however, appealed to the APC leadership to ensure their inclusion in party activities, consultations and decision-making processes, stressing that their participation would further strengthen the party’s grassroots structure.
The APC Chairman in Abeokuta North, Alhaja Faidat Sarumi Akintunde, commended the campaign committee, party leaders and supporters for their turnout and commitment to the mobilisation exercise.
She also praised the performance of the lawmaker representing Abeokuta North State Constituency in the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Babatunde Opeolu Tella, noting that he had facilitated developmental projects across the local government’s 16 wards.
Akintunde urged residents to support all APC candidates in the 2027 elections, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi), Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, Hon. Olumide Osoba and Hon. Tella.
She particularly highlighted the proposed four-storey general hospital for Abeokuta North, which Senator Adeola has pledged to deliver, alongside other development interventions.
She also assured women of the party’s continued commitment to their welfare and inclusion.
Addressing supporters, Tella thanked residents of Wards 3 and 4 for their support, describing the communities as particularly important to him.
He urged them to sustain their backing for the APC and its candidates, arguing that collective political support was necessary for continued development and effective representation.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Forestry, Engr. Taiwo Oludotun, called on residents to remain united and committed to the party’s mobilisation efforts, while urging them to vote for all APC candidates.
Similarly, the Secretary of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Comrade Akingbade Kabir Tiwalade, popularly known as Paulo Rossi, urged residents to participate actively in the campaign and support the party’s candidates.
The latest engagements form part of the Abeokuta North APC’s ward-to-ward mobilisation across the local government’s 16 wards.
With the earlier campaign visit to Ward 12, Ita-Oshin/Olomore, the party has now taken the exercise to three wards, with further engagements expected across the remaining wards.
The campaign is aimed at consolidating the party’s grassroots structures, strengthening its support base and mobilising voters for its candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The reception of the PDP and ADC members represents a notable addition to the APC’s political strength in Abeokuta North and a setback for the opposition parties’ local structures.
