Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and one-time Governor of Edo State, has officially defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), signaling a pivotal shift in Nigeria’s political dynamics.
Oyegun, who helmed the APC from 2013 to 2018 and was a key architect of the party’s landmark 2015 presidential victory, is widely regarded as an influential elder statesman with a national profile.
His defection is widely interpreted as a protest against the escalating internal crises and leadership disarray within the APC. This move is part of a broader trend of high-profile defections to the ADC, which is emerging as a credible opposition platform ahead of the 2027 elections. Notable recent defectors include retired Air Chief Marshal Saddique Abubakar and former Senator and Edo State Governor Oserheimen Osunbor.
Insider sources reveal that Oyegun, alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, played a strategic role in orchestrating the coalition that chose the ADC as the unified platform for a new national political alignment. This coalition aims to provide a strong alternative to the ruling APC, which continues to grapple with factionalism and governance challenges.
John Odigie-Oyegun’s political career spans decades, beginning with his tenure as the civilian Governor of Edo State from 1992 to 1993 during Nigeria’s aborted Third Republic. He later rose to become the first National Chairman of the APC, a position he assumed in 2014, backed by key figures including Bola Tinubu. His leadership was instrumental in consolidating opposition parties into the APC, which ended the long-standing dominance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.
Oyegun’s defection marks a significant moment of disillusionment among senior political figures with the APC’s current trajectory. It lends considerable momentum to the ADC’s efforts to position itself as the nucleus of a revitalized opposition coalition, reflecting growing calls for change in Nigeria’s political landscape.
As political realignments intensify, Oyegun’s move is expected to influence other political heavyweights and grassroots supporters, potentially reshaping the balance of power ahead of future elections.
