A major political realignment took place in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Sunday as hundreds of youths from Ajikobi, Alanamu, and Ubandawaki Wards announced their defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The mass defection, which drew a large crowd of supporters and PDP stalwarts, signaled growing discontent among young people who played active roles in the Otoge movement that swept the APC to power in 2019.
In a statement obtained by JUST EVENT ONLINE TV on Sunday evening
The defectors, led by Mallam Musa Kabir of Ubandawaki Ward, said they regretted their role in the Otoge struggle, describing it as “a costly mistake” that, according to them, brought hardship, job losses, and disillusionment to many Kwarans.
> “We thought the Otoge movement would bring liberation, but instead, it brought division, economic hardship, and lost opportunities for the youth,” Mallam Kabir stated, adding that “the APC government under Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has failed to meet the expectations of those who believed in change.”
Other speakers, including Wasiu Orekan, Alfa Adam Elelubo, Lookman Olarotimi Shehu Mukadam, Alhaja Shuaib Dupe Salamat, Alanamu Abubakar Jos, and veteran politician Alhaji Musa Tapa, expressed disappointment over what they called “widespread neglect and insensitivity” of the current administration.
Alhaja Salamat, one of the victims of the post-Otoge civil service disengagement, recounted her ordeal, while Alhaji Tapa, a long-standing political associate of the late Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki, declared his full return to the Saraki political family.
> “I was with the late Baba Saraki in 1979, but we were sidelined in 2019. Today, I am back home. We must use our voter cards to flush out bad governance in 2027,” Tapa declared to loud cheers.
Ward chairmen, including Mallam Gafar Alawo (Alanamu), Abubakar Yusuf Garba (Ajikobi), and Mallam Mashood Ahmed (Ubandawaki), received the defectors and assured them of full integration and cooperation at the grassroots level.
Speaking at the event, the State Secretary of the PDP, Comrade Abdulrahman Abdullahi Kayode, commended the courage of the defectors, describing their move as a bold step towards restoring purposeful leadership in Kwara State.
> “Many who toiled during the Otoge struggle were abandoned. This defection is not just a political move—it’s a statement of conscience and a call to rebuild Kwara,” he said, while applauding Mallam Kabir’s coordination and reconciliation efforts across the three wards.
In his remarks, the State Youth Leader, Comrade Odunjo Adio Friday Orlando, urged the new members to channel their energy toward mobilizing support for the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections, while **State Organizing Secretary, Mallam Olaitan Obalowu**, promised a “clean slate” and equal opportunities for all returnees.
Also present was Comrade Olamilekan Lawal (Automatic), a former Special Assistant on Youth Integration to a past Kwara State Governor, who assured the defectors of full acceptance within the Saraki political structure.
Comrade Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir, Press Officer on Local Matters to Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, hailed the PDP State Secretary for his effective grassroots mobilization and urged the new members to align with existing party structures for unity and progress.
The Kwara Central Senatorial Youth Leader, Hon. Abdulrasaq Aro Dolar, echoed similar sentiments, charging the defectors to deploy their political strength to reclaim power in 2027.
The highlight of the event was the burning of the APC broom, symbolizing the youths’ final departure from the ruling party. The defectors were subsequently presented with the PDP flag by the State Secretary amid singing, drumming, and jubilation.
The gathering ended in an atmosphere of excitement, with participants describing the mass defection as “a decisive step toward political redemption and the restoration of inclusive governance in Kwara State.”
