The Peoples Democratic Party candidate for Ibadan North-East State Constituency II in the 2027 general elections, Hon. Hammed Taoreed Ademola, and an Accord aspirant for the same constituency, Hon. Adedapo Ojo, have defected to the All Progressives Congress alongside hundreds of their supporters.
The defectors formally joined the APC at a ceremony held at a private facility along Old Ife Road, Ibadan, where they pledged to support the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Ademola, popularly known as Lucky, said his decision to leave the PDP followed his assessment of the political situation ahead of the elections.
“I did my due diligence and I came to realise that any ticket outside the APC is a mere tissue paper which cannot take a candidate anywhere in 2027.
“We are here in our hundreds to formally join the APC, and we promise to do our best in the interest of the progressive party and our dear country, Nigeria,” he said.
Ojo, who was an Accord aspirant for the same constituency, said his decision to join the APC followed what he described as the realisation that the party was better positioned ahead of the 2027 elections.
“We thought about making Accord a credible alternative in the state, but we later realised that the APC was ahead of other parties by far.
“We wasted our time, energy and resources on an unproductive exercise. We later realised it wasn’t worth it. So, we decided to pitch our tent with the Progressive Party, and here we are today,” he said.
Receiving the defectors, the APC State Chairman, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, assured the new members of equal opportunities within the party.
Adeyemo urged them to work for the success of all APC candidates in the 2027 general elections, describing the poll as another opportunity to rewrite the history of Nigeria.
Also speaking, the APC governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, promised fairness and equal treatment for members across the various zones of the state.
“It is a thing of joy that reasonable individuals are abandoning their parties to join the APC at a time like this. The hope is getting brighter every day, and it is now important for us to get more prepared because Oyo State deserves the best from May 2027,” Alli said.
He reiterated his pledge to run what he described as an inclusive administration, with commitments covering workers’ welfare, infrastructure, healthcare and technology.
“We have been saying that we would run an all-inclusive government which every indigene and resident of the state shall be proud of.
“Workers and pensioners would get their salaries and allowances regularly, in amounts that would be enough for them to live a decent life.
“The work environment would be conducive for all workers, including civil servants and teachers, while workers in all categories would be given adequate training and retraining to improve their productivity,” he said.
Alli also promised the establishment of an ICT hub in Ibadan within the first six months of his administration, with similar facilities planned for Oke-Ogun, Ogbomoso, Oyo and Ibarapa before January 2029.
He further pledged equitable distribution of infrastructure and basic amenities across the state, including the provision of a general hospital in each of the 33 local government areas.
“We would ensure that no zone is left out in the distribution of infrastructure and basic amenities, while each of the 33 local government councils would have a general hospital that is well staffed and fully equipped to cater to the basic medical needs of our people,” Alli said.
The event was attended by the APC deputy governorship candidate, Hon. Adesoji Adedeji; the Oyo South Senatorial candidate, Hon. Aderemi Oseni; and other party members.
