Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has reportedly begun holding meetings with members of his cabinet and key stakeholders in the Allied Peoples Movement(APM) to address growing discontent and prevent further defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The consultations followed the recent departure of several prominent politicians, particularly from Ogbomoso Zone, in what has raised concerns about the strength of Makinde’s political camp.
Among the latest defectors are the governor’s former Chief of Staff, Segun Ogunwuyi; Rasak Gbadegesin, popularly known as Agbeti; Timothy Oyeniyi; Alabi Olateju; Isaiah Adegbite; Peter Oyetunji; and Jimoh Sikiru, the APM chairman in Ogbomoso North.
Other political figures and local government representatives from Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South, Surulere and Ogo-Oluwa have also reportedly joined the APC.
The development comes amid a series of resignations by officials who previously served in Makinde’s administration.
The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Ayobami Oluwaseun Ojo, and the ministry’s Special Adviser, Simeon Adegbola Oyeleke, resigned with effect from November 2.
While Ojo did not publicly disclose his reason for leaving, Oyeleke said he was uncomfortable with the working environment and could no longer effectively represent the aspirations of his people while serving in the government.
Also, Sunday Olugbenga Falana resigned from the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), while the Director-General of the Due Process Office, Tara Adefope, also left the administration.
Other prominent figures said to have left Makinde’s political camp include the Chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Council, Hosea Agboola, popularly known as Alleluyah; former Deputy Governor Taofeek Arapaja; and Alhaji Bisi Olopoeniyan.
Agboola and Arapaja have since moved to the APC.
The departures have also affected the governor’s political and administrative network, with former political adviser Babatunde Oduyoye and former Special Adviser on Security, Fatai Owoseni, among those who have exited their previous positions.
Worried by the growing number of departures, Makinde is said to have intensified consultations with cabinet members, party leaders and loyalists at his residences in Ikolaba and Kolapo Ishola Estate, Ibadan.
Sources familiar with the meetings said the governor had expressed concern over the defections and sought suggestions on how to retain remaining party members and prevent further exits.
One of the sources said the meetings also provided an opportunity for aggrieved stakeholders to express their concerns about the crisis within the political camp.
According to the source, some participants blamed the situation on Makinde’s alleged unilateral decision to settle for Bimbo Adekanmbi as the APM’s governorship candidate for 2027, a development said to have generated dissatisfaction among party stakeholders.
Others reportedly raised concerns about some government policies and their impact on the administration’s public image.
The latest meeting, which reportedly lasted until the early hours of Thursday, ended without a clear strategy for stopping the wave of defections, according to the sources.
The consultations are expected to continue as Makinde’s political camp faces the challenge of retaining its remaining members and addressing grievances ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Kehinde Ayanboade
Kehinde Ayanboade is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Naija Metro News, with over eight years of experience covering Nigerian politics, crime, legislative proceedings and metropolitan affairs.
