Thousands of Accord Party members defect to APM in Oyo

Thousands of members of the Accord Party from various local government areas of Oyo State have defected to the ruling Allied Peoples Movement (APM), citing the party’s prolonged legal battles and uncertainty over its participation in the 2027 general elections.

The defectors, said to number over 3,000, were formally received by leaders of the APM/PDP Alliance at the APM Party House in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, in a ceremony attended by party chieftains and political stakeholders from across the state.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, their leader, Mr Philip Solashuko, who identified himself as the federal representative of the Accord Party for Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency, said their decision was informed by the need to avoid being caught up in the legal disputes rocking their former party ahead of the elections.

“Accord is going through a lot of court cases. The election is in less than 75 days, and we don’t want to be caught up in court cases, court mandates and betrayals in the party,” he said.

Solashuko explained that the group decided to join a party they believed would provide a more stable platform for their political aspirations and participation in the 2027 elections.

He said their decision to join the APM was also influenced by their assessment of the performance of the present administration in Oyo State.

“We are very sure this is all about continuity. Everybody can see what this present government has done for the state, the development, infrastructural development and human development. So, we are sure that by joining APM today, we are sure of victory come 2027,” he said.

Giving an indication of the strength of the defection, Solashuko said the group had over 3,000 members, with representatives drawn from all the 33 local government areas of the state.

“As you can see, we have representatives from all the 33 local governments. The number we have here is over 3,000. We also have state executives, chairmen of the party, candidates across the local governments and youth leaders,” he said.

He added that the defection exercise would continue, hinting that a larger gathering could be organised to formally consolidate the movement.

On the possibility of the Accord Party resolving its legal challenges, Solashuko said they hoped the court cases would be decided in favour of the party but maintained that they were unwilling to risk their political future on the outcome.

“I believe that the court cases will favour Accord, but court cases can go either way. If eventually Accord does not have any candidates to represent it in the coming elections, I am sure they will join the APM,” he said.

Welcoming the new members, the Chairman of the APM/PDP Alliance, Mr Dayo Ogungbenro, alongside the party’s Deputy Governorship Candidate, Engineer Muftau Open-Salawu, assured them of fairness, inclusiveness and equal opportunities within the party.

They urged the defectors to demonstrate loyalty and commitment, stressing that their contributions would be vital to the party’s electoral fortunes in 2027.

Ogungbenro and Open-Salawu assured the new members that they would be given a sense of belonging, urging them to put aside previous political differences and work collectively for the success of the party.

In their separate remarks, the Oyo State APM Chairman, Otunba Fagbemi Adegbenro; the Deputy Chairman of the APM/PDP Alliance in the state, Alhaji Wasiu Adeleke; and the Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Adeyinka Bibire, cautioned the new members against actions that could undermine the unity of the party.

They stressed the importance of cooperation, mutual understanding and collective responsibility, noting that internal cohesion would be critical to the party’s chances in the forthcoming elections.

The event featured the presentation of APM souvenirs to the defectors as a symbolic gesture of their formal integration into the party.