More than 1,000 members of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) in Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), ending what they described as years of political support for Governor Seyi Makinde.

The defectors, led by Hon. Mustapha Kazeem, popularly known as Oba Oluyole, were formally received into the APC at the party’s state secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, on Friday.

They were received by the Oyo State APC Chairman, Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo, and other members of the state executive committee.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Kazeem criticised the Makinde administration, alleging that the governor had not sufficiently appreciated the loyalty and sacrifices of some of his political supporters.

He also alleged that some members of the governor’s political structure in Oluyole had victimised members of his group for several years.

Kazeem said the alleged experiences informed their decision to join the APC.

He said, “It came to a point that we could not pretend again and this made us to see the light in the progressive fold.”

He described the APC as a political platform capable of accommodating their interests, while alleging that the APM had become too closely associated with the Makinde administration.

Kazeem added that the defectors had decided to leave what he described as “deceit and propaganda,” declaring that “enough is enough.”

The Chairman of APC in Oluyole Local Government Area, Dotun Oladipupo, subsequently presented the defectors to Adeyemo.

Adeyemo formally received them into the party and presented brooms to the new members as a symbol of their admission into the APC.

He urged them to put their previous political differences behind them and commit themselves to the party’s programmes and activities.

Adeyemo said the APC offered a platform for them to participate in what he described as the party’s “Renewed Hope” project.

Those present at the event included the APC State Secretary, Hon. Fatai Adesina; State Financial Secretary, Hon. Tunde Elegbede; Dr. Felicia Opatunde; Olawale Sadare; Olalekan Oladejo; Alhaji Lateef Akinsanya; the party’s candidate for Oluyole Federal Constituency in the 2027 election, Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe; and its candidate for Oluyole State Constituency, Hon. Hakeem Lawal, among others.