The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has recorded a major boost in Offa Local Government Area after hundreds of APC members switched allegiance, including from wards considered strongholds of top APC figures in Kwara State.

The mass movement, which took place on Tuesday, affected multiple wards. Notable among them is Shawo Central Ward, home to Senator Lola Ashiru of Kwara South, and the ward where the governor votes.

Reports said that the defections come at a time the PDP is working to re-energise its base across Kwara ahead of the 2027 polls.

Addressing party faithful in Offa, Ezekiel Adepoju, who led the Shawo Central defectors, said the group was drawn to the PDP because of the leadership of former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

According to him, the opposition party offers a more credible path for the political advancement of Offa and Kwara generally.

“The PDP is the right platform for the future of our people in Offa and across Kwara,” Adepoju declared.

He noted that Saraki’s influence and guidance within the PDP played a key role in their decision.

The event ended with a procession by women from Shawo Central. The women, singing in local dialect, marched through the community to celebrate the defection and pledged to drum up support for the PDP ahead of 2027.

Political observers say the development carries weight because it happened in the senator’s own ward.

Meanwhile, another group of APC members from the governor’s ward also announced their exit.

Speaking for the group, Taofeek Mohammed said their move was due to frustration with the current administration and the way the state is being governed.

He described the wave of defections from the governor’s base as a red flag for the APC.

“A leader who boasts of grassroots support should be worried when hundreds walk away from his own ward. That tells you something about performance and public trust,” Mohammed stated.

He stressed that real political power comes from the people, not from media hype.

“When a ruling party loses that number of members in the governor’s backyard, you can’t call it business as usual,” he added.

The new PDP members vowed to mobilise more people and work for the party’s success in the next elections.

Source: Punch News.