AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has reportedly begun holding meetings with members of his cabinet and key stakeholders of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in a bid to halt the growing wave of defections from his political camp.
The development follows the recent defection of prominent politicians in Ogbomoso Zone to the All Progressives Congress (APC), including former Chief of Staff, Segun Ogunwuyi, Rasak Gbadegesin, Timothy Oyeniyi, Alabi Olateju, Isaiah Adegbite, Peter Oyetunji and Ogbomoso North APM chairman, Jimoh Sikiru.
Other prominent figures who have left the governor’s camp include former Deputy Governor, Taofeek Arapaja, former Chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Council, Hosea Agboola, and former political adviser, Babatunde Oduyoye.
Several government officials have also resigned, including Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Ayobami Ojo, and the Director-General of the Due Process Office, Tara Adefope.
Sources within the governor’s political camp said the meetings, which have reportedly become regular at his residences in Ikolaba and Kolapo Ishola Estate, Ibadan, were aimed at identifying ways to retain remaining loyalists and prevent further defections ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
They attributed the crisis partly to the reported unilateral decision to endorse Bimbo Adekanmbi as the party’s governorship candidate, as well as some government policies that have attracted negative publicity.
The latest meeting, which reportedly lasted until the early hours of Thursday, ended without a concrete strategy to address the crisis, amid concerns from participants that more defections could still occur.
