Six lawmakers in the House of Representatives from Oyo State have dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

At the resumption of plenary following the Sallah break, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who presided over the session, read 13 letters announcing the change of parties by lawmakers, including the six Oyo reps.

Recall that Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde had recently defected to the APM, on which platform he has already declared to run for the presidential election in 2027.

The members of the Oyo House of Representatives caucus who defected to the APM on Tuesday included Anthony Adebayo, Adedeji Olajide, Sunday Makanjuola, Oyedeji Oyeshina, Fola Oyekunle and Adigun Adekunle.

In their letters of defection, the lawmakers cited the protracted internal crisis and leadership tussle in the PDP as reasons to seek a political alternative to pursue their ambitions in 2027.

With this development, Governor Makinde has taken six out of the 14 members of the Oyo State caucus in the House of Representatives with him to the APM.

Meanwhile, there were other defections on the floor of the House on Tuesday, with the PDP losing and gaining members.

In Bauchi, Auwalu Gwalabe also left the PDP for the APM, while Shehu Dalhatu, representing Faskari/Kankara/Sabuwa Federal Constituency of Katsina State, dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the PDP.

In his letter of defection, Dalhatu said, “After careful consideration of the issues in the APC and having consulted with my constituencies, I have resolved to join the PDP.”

Similarly, Delta lawmaker Etanabene Benedict left the Labour Party (LP) for the PDP, citing “the crisis in the LP” in the South-South state.

The PDP also gained another lawmaker in Alex Egbona, who dumped the APC for the PDP, noting, however, that his “commitment to the House and his constituency remains unshakeable.”

In yet another defection, Edo legislator Esosa Iyawe, who had defected thrice within three years, again dumped the APC for the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

He blamed “irreconcilable differences” with the Edo State chapter of the APC for his decision.

Meanwhile, the 2027 Rivers State APC Governorship Candidate, Kingsley Chinda, has defected from the PDP to the APC and also tendered his resignation as the House Minority Leader.

Nasarawa lawmaker, Gbefwi Gaza, also announced his defection from the Social Democratic Party to the Labour Party.