Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi, who represents Osun Central Senatorial District, has officially defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) back to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing dissatisfaction with the APC’s senatorial ticket process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Confirming the move on Thursday, Fadeyi said he had formally notified the Senate of his decision to leave the APC and rejoin the PDP.
The lawmaker also announced that he has emerged as the PDP’s candidate for the Osun Central Senatorial District under the party faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for the 2027 National Assembly election.
“I am back in the PDP led by the FCT Minister, His Excellency, Nyesom Wike. I have already written to the Senate,” Fadeyi said. “I can also confirm that I am the candidate for Osun Central Senatorial District for the 2027 Senate election.”
Fadeyi had defected from the PDP to the APC in July 2025 alongside four other members of the National Assembly in a bid to secure the ruling party’s ticket for a second term in the Senate.
However, the APC later picked Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adekunle Adegoke, as its candidate for the Osun Central Senatorial District, a development that prompted the senator to reconsider his political affiliation.
In his resignation letter, Fadeyi explained that he joined the APC in good faith to support President Bola Tinubu, believing the party would honour assurances regarding its nomination process.
“I joined the APC as a progressive party in good faith to support Mr President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his ancestral home, which falls within my senatorial district,” he stated.
He said he expected the party to uphold an earlier understanding that he would secure its sole ticket for the Osun Central Senate seat through a consensus arrangement.
According to the senator, the anticipated consensus never materialised, while the eventual candidate selection process failed to meet acceptable standards of fairness, transparency and internal democracy.
Fadeyi further alleged that recent developments within the APC leadership in Osun State had eroded trust, making it impossible for him to remain in the party.
He also expressed disappointment that while some lawmakers who defected alongside him reportedly secured return tickets, he was denied the same opportunity despite earlier expectations.
The senator stressed that his decision to leave the APC should not be interpreted as opposition to President Tinubu, insisting that it was instead a protest against what he described as the party’s failure to uphold agreements, fairness, democratic values and mutual trust in its internal processes.
BACKSTORY:
Political defections have remained a recurring feature of Nigeria’s political landscape, particularly in the build-up to major elections. As preparations for the 2027 general elections intensify, several lawmakers and political officeholders have switched parties over disagreements relating to party leadership, internal democracy, and the allocation of elective tickets.
Senator Olubiyi Fadeyi was among a group of National Assembly members who left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in July 2025, citing support for President Bola Tinubu and expectations of a fair opportunity to seek re-election under the APC platform.
However, following the APC’s decision to nominate another aspirant for the Osun Central Senatorial District ticket, Fadeyi expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s candidate selection process, alleging that it lacked transparency, fairness, and adherence to an earlier consensus arrangement.
His return to the PDP, particularly the faction aligned with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, adds to the growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections and underscores the continued importance of internal party democracy in shaping political loyalties and electoral strategies.
