A two-term member of the Kwara State House of Assembly and a prominent figure in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Hon. Saheed Popoola, on Sunday, defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) along with his supporters in the APC in Offa, Offa Local Government Area of the state.
Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state has described Saheed Popoola’s defection as insignificant, insisting that his presence in the party was hardly noticed and that he had effectively distanced himself from the APC long before the last general elections.
Popoola, who represented the Ojomu/Balogun constituency of Offa in the Kwara State House of Assembly, stated at the event that his decision to join the PDP came after deep reflection on the direction of the ruling party.
“I was the first person to contest under the APC platform in 2013 in Nigeria. We started the APC together with a vision of justice and prosperity, but over time, the party lost its soul. Loyalty became to individuals, not the people,” he said.
“I’m joining the PDP not as a desperate politician but as a believer in fairness, justice, and equity. The PDP is peaceful and remains the only viable opposition in Nigeria,” Popoola added.
Popoola further declared with confidence that “the PDP would reclaim power in Kwara come 2027.”
“The PDP is going to take over the government and governance of Kwara State in 2027,” the former lawmaker stated to loud cheers from the crowd.
He also criticised the state government over the recent rise in banditry and insecurity in parts of the state.
Popoola attributed the situation to what he described as misgovernance by those in power.
“We have never seen banditry in Kwara since its creation in 1967. Hundreds of our people have been killed.
“Banditry existed in Niger State for years but never crossed into Kwara because the leaders then knew what they were doing.
“But the current Governor does not understand governance. He thinks only about himself and his ideas that’s why we are where we are today,” he stressed.
One of the former leaders of the “O to Ge” (Enough is Enough) movement said that the “ideals of the Otoge struggle which brought the APC to power in 2019 had been betrayed by those who benefited most from the movement.”
“After the Otoge struggle, which many of us fought and sacrificed a lot for, the governor abandoned the ideals we stood for.
“Unity of purpose and inclusivity were thrown away, and personal interest took over,” he lamented.
Receiving the defectors, the state PDP chairman, Hon. Issa Bawa, described Popoola’s defection as “a homecoming,” stating that his return would further strengthen the party’s structure ahead of the 2027 elections.
“What we have seen today shows clearly that PDP is regaining its momentum. Offa is for PDP in 2027. Offa will rise again and be great again,” Bawa said.
He praised Popoola’s courage, calling him “a man of integrity and conviction,” and urged other former members of the party to return.
“Senator Bukola Saraki asked me to remind the people of Offa to compare what PDP did for them with what the APC has done. The difference is clear,” he said.
Reacting to the defection, the Kwara State APC Publicity Secretary, Mr Waheed Babatunde, dismissed Popoola’s exit as insignificant.
“The party won’t miss Saheed Popoola because his presence was never felt. He left long before the last general election and he’s only making it official today,” Babatunde said.
“Offa has always been progressive and will remain so. The people will continue to support Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and the APC to retain power in 2027,” he added.
