PDP candidate, APM leader and about 3,000 supporters join APC in Oyo ahead of 2027 race

A significant set of defections in Oyo State on Friday saw members and figures from several parties cross to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Reports from local outlets say the group included a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, a leader from the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and an aspirant from Accord, together with about 3,000 supporters. Multiple accounts describe the moves as part of political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.

APC guber candidate's response

BusinessDay reported that the APC governorship candidate, Seyi Alli, received the defectors and pledged an all‑inclusive government. The pledge was noted by BusinessDay; other reports covered the defections but did not quote Alliance or other individual responses directly.

Who switched and why

ThisDay and Arise News identified the switchers as coming from the PDP, APM and Accord. Both outlets said the influx included party members, supporters and candidates or aspirants from those parties. Arise News explicitly framed the moves as a political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections, a point echoed by the other reports.

The scale and potential impact

All three outlets reported that roughly 3,000 supporters joined the APC in the event. The defections bring together elected aspirants, party figures and grassroots supporters, which local observers and the reporting suggest could affect party strength and campaign dynamics in Oyo as parties prepare for the 2027 polls. None of the reports supplied independent voter‑registration or turnout figures to quantify how the moves will translate into votes.

What is not yet clear

The reports do not provide full lists of names for the defectors beyond descriptions of their party affiliations and roles. They also do not include responses from the PDP, APM or Accord leadership in reaction to the defections, nor independent analysis proving the long‑term political impact.

Why it matters

The defections underscore shifting alignments in a key southwestern state as Nigeria's main parties position themselves for the next national election cycle. Bringing candidates, party leaders and thousands of supporters into the APC may alter local campaign strategies and perceptions of momentum, but the ultimate effect on election results will depend on how permanently these figures remain with their new party and how voters respond at the polls.

Further reporting will be needed to confirm the identities of all defectors, to document any counterclaims by the parties they left, and to track whether this movement influences candidate selection or voting patterns in Oyo State ahead of 2027.