Makinde: APC Suffers Set Back As Oyo Members Defect To APM

Thousands of supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Ajiboye Sangogade, popularly known as Boye Nation, have joined the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Oyo State.

Naija News reports that the defectors were formally received into the APM by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Monday during the Boye Nation/JAF Movement Mega Concert held at the Open Tennis Court of the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan.

Sangogade, a Personal Assistant and loyalist to former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, led the defectors drawn from several local government areas across the state.

Makinde Predicts APM Victory

Receiving the defectors, Makinde expressed confidence that the development would strengthen the APM ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said the turnout showed growing support for the party, adding that he expected the APM to win the elections across the board.

“God has signed off on what we are doing, and that is why it is raining. Today, we are welcoming thousands of APC members into the Allied People’s Movement (APM), and this shows that our victory is only a matter of time. We will win massively in all elections in 2027,” he said.

Makinde also advised the APC governorship candidate, Sharafadeen Alli, to focus on the APM governorship candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi, instead of criticizing his administration.

He said Alli should concentrate on convincing Oyo residents to support him ahead of the governorship election.

‘Alli Has No Recognition In His Profession’

The governor also repeated his criticism of Alli’s legal career, describing him as a mediocre lawyer and questioning his professional record.

Makinde compared his own engineering background with Adekanmbi’s accounting qualifications, saying both had achieved professional recognition in their respective fields.

“I am an engineer and a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers — meaning I have excelled in my chosen career. The candidate we are presenting to you, Adekanmbi, is a graduate of Accounting and a professional who is also a Fellow of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants, the highest qualification in the profession.

“Ask Alli if he has any recognition in his own profession. He is not a Senior Advocate of Nigeria,” he said.

The governor also responded to criticism over the use of diesel-powered generators to operate streetlights in parts of Oyo State.

Makinde argued that the state would not have needed to rely on diesel generators for the streetlights if the Federal Government had resolved the country’s electricity challenges.`

He recalled President Bola Tinubu’s campaign promise on electricity and said the promise, if fulfilled, would have removed the need for the diesel-powered streetlights.

“On powering streetlights with diesel generators, remind them that their leader was the one who said that if he didn’t fix Nigeria’s electricity problem within his first four years, no one should vote for him again. If he had fulfilled that promise, we would not be powering streetlights with diesel,” he said.

The event, themed “Young, United, Unstoppable (YUU),” also marked the official reception of Sangogade and his supporters into the APM.

The mega concert featured performances by Fuji artistes, including Taye Currency, Tiri Leather, Babatunmise, Ododo Emi, Ajao Samson Ajeseun Band and Aare Rasaq Ayanfe, among others.

Government officials at the event included the Secretary to the State Government, Musibau Babatunde; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Segun Ogunwuyi; members of the National Assembly and Oyo State House of Assembly; commissioners; APM leaders and other government functionaries, Naija News understands.

Also present were the APM senatorial candidates for Oyo South, Oyo North and Oyo Central, Dhikrullahi Stanley Olajide Odidiomo, Shina Peller and Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, as well as 14 APM House of Representatives candidates.