Former Ekiti State Governor, Olusegun Oni, has formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), marking a significant political realignment ahead of the 2026 governorship election in the state.
Oni completed his registration into the APC on Sunday at his country home in Ifaki Ekiti, barely 24 hours after Governor Biodun Oyebanji revalidated his membership of the party and called on supporters to intensify grassroots mobilisation across the state.
The former governor, who served as Ekiti State governor between 2007 and 2010 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was also the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in the 2022 election, where he finished second behind the incumbent governor, Oyebanji.
Reacting to Oni’s defection, the Coordinator of the APC e-registration exercise in Ekiti State, Gold Adesola Adedayo, described the move as a major boost to the party’s ongoing digital membership drive and a strategic gain for the APC’s progressive bloc in the state.
Adedayo, who also serves as the Commissioner for Youth Development, praised Oni as a seasoned and influential grassroots politician whose entry into the party would strengthen its electoral prospects.
He said the former governor’s decision to join the APC would further consolidate Governor Oyebanji’s chances ahead of the June 20, 2026, governorship poll, describing the defection as a “masterstroke” capable of reshaping the political landscape.
According to him, Oni’s move from the SDP to the APC signals a broader realignment as the state inches closer to the 2026 election and the 2027 general elections.
“Today, we registered former Governor Segun Oni as a member of our great party. This significant political move will greatly enhance our ongoing online registration exercise in Ekiti,” Adedayo said.
“When it comes to grassroots politics, former Governor Oni is highly respected and widely loved. His presence in the APC at this critical period is a major advantage as we work to attract more people into the party.”
The commissioner urged party leaders and supporters to sustain their mobilisation efforts, warning against complacency and stressing the need for continued engagement at the grassroots to strengthen the APC’s numerical and electoral base across the state.