By Peter Omopo
Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State have formally received Senator Hosea Agboola Halleluya and more than 50,000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) into the ruling party, in a move described as a major boost to the APC’s political strength in the state.
The defectors, drawn from the 33 local government areas of Oyo State, were received during a party event in Iseyin as part of the ongoing Federal Constituency Tour of Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Iwajowa/Kajola. The reception was led by the Oyo State Ambassador of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, Senator Teslim Kolawole Folarin, alongside the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and other senior party leaders.
Those present included Senators Abdulfatai Buhari, Sharafadeen Alli and Ayo Adeseun; the Oyo APC State Chairman, Pharm. Olayide Abass; Alhaji Fatai Ibikunle; Engr. Idris Adeoye; and former deputy governors Chief Iyiola Oladokun, Chief Moses Alake and Engr. Rauf Olaniyan. Several other party chieftains and elected officials also attended the event.
Speaking at the gathering, Senator Folarin described the mass defection as an endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s leadership and the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that the APC remains the most credible platform for inclusive governance and sustainable development.
He assured the new members of full integration into the party, stressing that internal differences within the Oyo APC had been resolved and that the party was now united and focused on grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In his remarks, Minister Adelabu welcomed Senator Halleluya and the defectors, describing their decision as timely and courageous, while reaffirming the APC’s commitment to peace, unity and collective progress in the state.
Senator Abdulfatai Buhari said the wave of defections reflected the APC’s growing organisational strength and increasing acceptance among the people of Oyo State. Senator Sharafadeen Alli added that the influx of opposition members signified renewed public confidence in the Tinubu administration and positioned the party for broader development impact across the state.
The APC state chairman, Pharm. Abass, assured the defectors of equal rights and opportunities within the party, emphasising the leadership’s commitment to fairness, discipline and internal democracy.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Senator Halleluya, a former Senate Chief Whip and former Chairman of the Advisory Council to Governor Seyi Makinde, said the decision to join the APC followed extensive consultations. He said the Renewed Hope Agenda and the prevailing unity among APC leaders in Oyo State influenced their decision to align with the ruling party.
The event concluded with the symbolic admission of the defectors into the APC and renewed calls for party members to close ranks and work collectively towards securing electoral victories for President Tinubu and the party in Oyo State in the 2027 general elections.
The party leaders later moved to the Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency, where they continued engagements aimed at promoting unity, peace and grassroots mobilisation in support of President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
