Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has described the Peoples Democratic Party as a political structure that has lost relevance, declaring it “an empty shell” following the defection of key members to the All Progressives Congress.
Speaking in Abeokuta on Wednesday during a reception to formally welcome former PDP chieftains into the APC, Abiodun took a swipe at the opposition, likening its members to political “Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).”
“PDP nationwide has become an empty shell. As a matter of fact, they have been referred to as Internally Displaced Persons (IDP). They are looking for IDP camps. They went to SDP, they were not accommodated, ditto to the ADC. They are still displaced,” he said.
Among those received into the APC were Adekunle Akinlade, the PDP’s Deputy Governorship Candidate in the last election; Dr. Sikirullahi Ogundele, immediate past PDP Chairman in Ogun State; and Lukman Atobatele, Deputy Minority Leader in the State House of Assembly.
Abiodun said he was pleased to welcome the defectors back to the APC, noting, “I am glad that you (new APC members) have chosen to come back to where you did belong.”
He reinforced a comment earlier made by Dr. Ogundele, stating that “every responsible member of PDP in Ogun State” has now exited the party.
Describing the new entrants as “politicians with progressive-thinking,” the governor assured them of equal rights and full privileges as members and leaders within the APC.
Adekunle Akinlade, who previously contested the 2019 governorship race under the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) before joining the PDP in 2023, expressed gratitude for the reception they received and pledged full allegiance to the ruling party.
He said, “We assure you of our absolute loyalty,” promising to work alongside the governor for the continued growth and success of the APC.
Akinlade’s defection had earlier been confirmed in June 2025, citing persistent internal divisions and unresolved crises within the PDP as the reason for his exit.
