Scores of members of the All Progressives Congress in Ibadan South-East Local Government Area of Oyo State have rejected reports that they are preparing to defect to the Allied Peoples Movement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The APC members reportedly made their position known during a visit to the party’s state secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, where they described reports of an impending mass defection as false and misleading.
The controversy centres on claims circulating on social media that members associated with the Adelabu Political Group had concluded plans to leave the APC for the APM.
The group, however, urged the public to disregard the reports, insisting that its members remain committed to the APC.
The development comes at a time of considerable political realignment in Oyo State, where the APM has emerged as a significant platform ahead of the 2027 elections.
The political landscape became more fluid earlier in 2026 after a number of prominent politicians moved towards the APM, including Governor Seyi Makinde.
Several members of the House of Representatives from Oyo State also moved from the Peoples Democratic Party to the APM, including lawmakers representing constituencies in and around Ibadan South-East.
That wider movement has inevitably generated speculation about whether other political figures and structures could follow the same path.
The latest declaration by APC members in Ibadan South-East is therefore significant because it seeks to draw a line between confirmed political defections and reports circulating primarily through social media.
The members associated with the Adelabu political structure have maintained that they are not part of any concluded plan to abandon the APC.
The episode also reflects the increasingly competitive political environment in Oyo State as parties position themselves for the 2027 elections.
Political defections and counter-defections have become a major feature of the emerging contest, with politicians weighing party structures, electoral prospects and alliances well before the formal campaign period.
For the APC, retaining its grassroots structures will be particularly important as it seeks to consolidate its presence in areas where opposition parties and emerging political platforms are attempting to expand.
For the APM, meanwhile, the ability to attract established political structures would strengthen its claim to be a serious contender in the state’s evolving political landscape.
The competing narratives also underline the growing role of social media in Nigerian politics.
Unverified claims about defections can spread rapidly and create the impression of political realignment before any formal announcement has been made.
The Ibadan South-East APC members’ denial is therefore an attempt to put the record straight and reassure party supporters that the group remains within the APC fold.
With the 2027 election approaching, however, political observers are likely to continue watching the area closely for any formal announcements from individual politicians or organised political groups.
For now, the position publicly communicated by the affected APC members is that reports of their planned defection to the APM should be disregarded.