Former Ekiti State Governor Olusegun Oni has formally joined the All Progressives Congress after registering as a member of the party at his country home in Ifaki Ekiti.

Announcing the development in Ado Ekiti, the Coordinator of the APC e-registration exercise in the state and Commissioner for Youth Development, Adesola Adedayo, described Oni’s defection as a major boost for the party. He said the former governor’s decision to participate in the ongoing e-registration exercise had strengthened the APC’s progressive family in Ekiti.

Adedayo said, “We registered former Governor Segun Oni as a member of our great party. This significant political move will help the ongoing online registration of our members in Ekiti.”

He described Oni as “a resourceful and popular leader who will add tremendous value to the party and strengthen its winning streak,” adding that the former governor’s defection marked “a seismic shift in the political realignment ahead of the Ekiti governorship poll and the general elections.”

Speaking on Oni’s grassroots appeal, the commissioner said, “When it comes to grassroots politics, former Governor Oni is a respected individual. He is well-loved at the grassroots, and the intention of our registration is to attract more people into the APC. Having an individual like the former governor with us at this crucial time is a big plus.”

Adedayo also urged party leaders not to relax, stressing the need for sustained mobilisation to grow the party’s strength at the grassroots. He noted that Oni’s registration came shortly after Governor Biodun Oyebanji revalidated his APC membership and called on party members across the state “to embark on aggressive mobilisation drives to fortify the APC at the local level.”

“This exercise is very important as it will strengthen our party’s structures and ensure proper documentation of members at the grassroots,” he said, adding that the e-registration drive was crucial to the party’s future electoral success and the governor’s re-election bid.