Politics  |  Oyo State

APM Crisis Deepens In Oyo As Two More Olopoeyan Loyalists Quit

By SOJWORLDnews  •  October 19, 2026

The crisis inside Oyo State’s ruling Allied Peoples Movement (APM) took a fresh turn on Sunday. Two local government appointees loyal to party chieftain Alhaji Adebisi Olopoeyan resigned from their posts. Their exits pile new pressure on Governor Seyi Makinde as the 2027 elections draw closer. Local outlets reported the resignations on Sunday, October 18.

Hon. Balogun Olatunji Smith held the post of Assistant General Secretary of Ibadan North-East Local Government. Chief Paul Onirese served as Supervisor for Health in Ogbomoso North Local Government. Each man wrote a separate resignation letter. Smith cited medical and health reasons. Onirese, however, gave no specific reason. He promised to make the circumstances public at the appropriate time. He also insisted that his exit would not weaken his commitment to Ogbomoso North’s development.

The row between the two camps centres on the APM’s August 3 local government primaries. Olopoeyan’s camp maintains that its candidates won those primaries. However, the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) reportedly rejected that candidate list. A court dispute followed. Reports say the dispute has now become part of a wider tension between two former allies.

Meanwhile, the matter has reached the Federal High Court in Ibadan. In all, 33 chairmanship candidates and 351 councillorship candidates sued the party. They object to reports of a fresh primary. The court action comes ahead of the forthcoming local government elections in Oyo State. According to their court documents, OYSIEC monitored the August 3 exercise. The results were then submitted to the commission. Factional candidates emerged soon afterwards. Olopoeyan reportedly backed one set of candidates, while Makinde backed another.

The latest resignations follow other high-profile exits. Segun Ogunwuyi quit as Makinde’s Chief of Staff on October 12. In his letter, he wrote, “I respectfully write to resign my appointment as Chief of Staff.” Ogunwuyi gave no reason for his decision. However, sources point to internal disagreements in the governor’s camp. As a result, speculation has grown that he may move to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Tara Adefope, the former Director-General of the Due Process Office, has also resigned.

Party members are leaving too. Former two-term lawmaker Peter Oyetunji resigned from the APM on October 6. He represented Ogo-Oluwa/Surulere in the Oyo State House of Assembly. Oyetunji accused the party of arrogance and deceit. He also complained that Surulere received no meaningful development, despite its loyalty to Makinde and the APM.

The stakes are high for Makinde. He is the APM’s presidential candidate for 2027. National Publicity Secretary Abubakar Yusuf has called him “a younger, energetic and experienced leader.” Yusuf made similar remarks while urging President Bola Tinubu to step aside and back Makinde. Makinde and his allies moved from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APM ahead of the polls. Therefore, a split in the home base could complicate his national campaign.

Earlier defections also drew attention. In May, Makinde allies such as Shina Peller and Olufemi Ajadi left the PDP for the APM. Political observers linked the wave to a May 9 deadline in the new electoral guidelines. Tension over nomination forms is not new either. Leadership newspaper reported allegations that the party reserved its 2027 nomination forms for loyalists of Makinde and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed.

The opposition faces its own troubles. The Oyo APC has an internal crisis after Senator Sharafadeen Alli emerged as consensus governorship candidate. Aggrieved party figures include Senator Fatai Buhari, Adebayo Adelabu, Rauf Olaniyan and Senator Teslim Folarin. Nevertheless, APC leaders insist they will reclaim the state in May 2027.

For now, the reports carry no detailed response from either camp. The Ibadan court case will test who controls the party’s local government tickets. Meanwhile, political watchers across Oyo will follow each new resignation closely. The party’s local government candidates now wait for the court to decide their fate.

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