Mass Defection Hits Lagos PDP As Top Members Join APC

LAGOS, Nigeria – June 9, 2025 — In a significant political development ahead of the 2027 general elections, several high-ranking members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State have officially defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The defectors, comprising party executives, former candidates, and grassroots mobilizers, announced their decision on Monday, attributing their move to the PDP’s persistent leadership crisis, internal disunity, and dwindling relevance in Lagos politics.

Leading the defection was the PDP Publicity Secretary in Lagos, Hakeem Amode, who said the party had become engulfed in “factionalism, instability, and a loss of direction.” He criticized the party’s inability to resolve its internal conflicts and described the PDP as “a sinking ship.”

“We have come to the painful but necessary conclusion that the PDP has lost its soul. It no longer represents the values that attracted many of us in the first place,” Amode said while addressing journalists in Lagos.

Other notable figures who joined the APC include Alhaja Safurat Abdulkareem, a former PDP deputy governorship candidate; Chief Ola Apena, former deputy chairman of PDP Lagos; and Prince Rufus Ademola Adeniyi, a former assistant state organizing secretary (Lagos West).

Full List of Defectors:

Hakeem Amode – PDP Publicity Secretary, Lagos State

Alhaja Safurat Abdulkareem – Former Deputy Governorship Candidate

Chief Ola Apena – Former Deputy Chairman, PDP Lagos

Prince Rufus Ademola Adeniyi – Former Assistant State Organizing Secretary (Lagos West)

Jerry Afemikhe (Olori Odo) – Former House of Reps Candidate, Surulere Constituency I

Pastor Gbenga Ogunleye – Spokesman to 2023 Lagos PDP Governorship Candidate

Hon. Keshinro Abiodun – 2023 LAHA Candidate, Epe State Constituency I

Akeem Jinadu – 2023 LAHA Candidate, Eti-Osa State Constituency I

Hon. Ibrahim Balogun – 2023 LAHA Candidate, Kosofe State Constituency II

Taofeek Bolaji Obanikoro – 2023 LAHA Candidate, Lagos Island State Constituency I

Tunde Pratt – 2023 LAHA Candidate, Lagos Mainland State Constituency II

Saheed Aregbesola – 2023 LAHA Candidate, Oshodi-Isolo State Constituency II

Sulaimon A. Thompson – 2023 LAHA Candidate, Surulere State Constituency I

Taofeek O. Kuye – 2023 LAHA Candidate, Ajeromi-Ifelodun State Constituency I

Adeyemi Kazeem – Former PDP Chairman, Ojo Local Government

The mass defection is seen as a major setback for the PDP in Lagos, a state where the APC has maintained political dominance for over two decades. Political analysts say the move could further weaken the PDP’s chances in the 2027 elections.

Meanwhile, the APC in Lagos has welcomed the new members, describing their defection as “a reflection of growing public confidence in the party’s leadership both at the state and federal levels.”