In a major political realignment in Lagos State, the spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hakeem Amode, has officially defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), along with several party stalwarts and former candidates.
EpeInsights reports that Amode announced this while speaking at a press briefing in Ikeja on Monday.
He revealed that he and other top PDP figures have decided to dissolve the party’s structure across Lagos from ward to state level and align with Abdul-Azeez Adediran (aka Jandor), the PDP’s 2023 governorship candidate who had earlier joined the APC.
“It is with great honour and responsibility that we make this pivotal decision,” Amode declared.
“The PDP has lost its way, both nationally and in Lagos. The party is in a coma.”
Amode cited internal fractures, lack of leadership and the party’s deviation from its founding ideals as core reasons for the mass defection.
Among those joining the APC are former PDP Deputy Chairman Chief Ola Apena, former Deputy Governorship Candidate Safurat Abdulkareem, and several 2023 State House of Assembly candidates including Ibrahim Balogun (Kosofe 2), Keshinro Abiodun (Epe 1), Akeem Jinadu (Eti-Osa 1), and others from Lagos Island, Mainland, Oshodi-Isolo, and Ajeromi-Ifelodun constituencies.
Mr. Balogun, reflecting on his 18-year journey with the PDP, said, “I wasted time there. We are now fully with APC and ready to work for Tinubu in 2027.”
Adediran, who received the defectors, described the development as “a collapse of the PDP structure into the APC,” asserting that the PDP in Lagos had become nothing more than a “social club” with no winning strategy.
“The PDP is a sinking ship,” Jandor said. “There is no other viable platform apart from the APC in Nigeria today.”
Other prominent defectors include:
- Prince Rufus Adeniyi, former PDP Assistant State Organising Secretary (Lagos West)
- Mr. Jerry Afemikhe (Olori Odo), former PDP House of Reps candidate, Surulere I
- Pastor Gbenga Ogunleye, media aide to the 2023 Lagos PDP governorship candidate
- Mr. Adeyemi Kazeem, former PDP Chairman, Ojo LGA
This sweeping defection deals a major blow to the PDP’s chances of regrouping ahead of future elections in Lagos State.
The defectors say they are now committed to working with the APC to “deliver the true dividends of democracy.”
