Over 1,000 APM Members Defect to APC in Oyo

More than 1,000 members of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing dissatisfaction with their political experience in the state.

The defectors formally joined the APC at the party’s state secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, on Friday, October 2, 2026.

They were led by APM chieftain Mustapha Kazeem, popularly known as Oba Oluyole, and received by Oyo State APC Chairman, Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo, alongside members of the party’s state executive committee. (The Times)

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Kazeem said their decision followed what he described as a series of experiences while supporting the administration and political structure associated with Governor Seyi Makinde.

He alleged that some supporters had not received adequate recognition for their loyalty and sacrifices, while accusing members of Makinde’s political structure in Oluyole of victimising members of his group.

Kazeem said the situation eventually convinced them to leave the APM and join the Oyo APC, declaring that they had reached a point where they could no longer pretend about their dissatisfaction.

He described the APC as a platform through which the defectors could pursue their political interests and said they were no longer willing to remain within what he described as “deceit and propaganda.”

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The allegations against Makinde’s political structure were made by the defectors and were not independently established in the report.

Receiving the new members, the Oyo APC chairman welcomed them into the party and presented brooms to them as a symbol of their formal admission.

Adeyemo urged the defectors to put their previous political differences behind them and participate actively in the activities of the APC in Oyo State.

The defection comes amid increasing political realignments in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 elections, with political parties and their supporters seeking to strengthen their structures and mobilise members across the state.

The latest movement also comes against the backdrop of continuing discussions among opposition politicians over possible cooperation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

An APM chieftain, Oluwaseun Adeloro, recently argued that opposition parties still had an opportunity to work towards a common presidential candidate.

Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show, Adeloro said opposition politicians could still reach an agreement despite the separate ambitions of major political figures.

He specifically mentioned former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi while discussing the challenges of reaching a consensus.

Adeloro also expressed support for Governor Seyi Makinde as a possible consensus candidate and defended Makinde’s proposal for a four-year “reset” of Nigeria.

The latest APM-to-APC defection in Oyo adds to the political activity already underway ahead of the 2027 general elections.

For the defectors, the move marks a shift from the APM to the APC, while the allegations they cited concerning their treatment within Makinde’s political structure remain their stated reasons for leaving.

Over 1,000 APM Members Defect to APC in Oyo

Police Arrest Man Caught Sexually Assaulting 12-Year-Old Girl in Car

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested a man identified as Zayyanu Halilu after he was allegedly caught sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl inside a car in Abuja.

Halilu was arrested on Friday, October 2, 2026, by operatives of the Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit during a routine patrol at the Airport Bridge Taxi Park in Abuja.

According to the police, officers became suspicious after noticing a fully tinted navy-blue Volkswagen parked at the location with its windows wound up. The vehicle was reportedly shaking, prompting the officers to approach and inspect it.

The officers allegedly opened the vehicle and found the suspect with the 12-year-old child, leading to his immediate arrest and the rescue of the girl.

The child was subsequently taken for medical attention, while the suspect was detained for investigation.

The police said preliminary findings indicated that the suspect had allegedly taken the girl to the same location on previous occasions and sexually abused her.

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The Command further alleged that the suspect had threatened the child with harm if she disclosed the abuse to anyone.

A medical examination, according to the police, subsequently showed that the child was about three months pregnant. She remains under medical care and is undergoing further assessment.

The police said the suspect would be charged to court after the completion of the investigation.

The FCT Police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the arrest, while the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, urged parents and guardians to pay close attention to the safety, welfare and whereabouts of children under their care.

The Command also urged residents to report suspicious activities involving children or other vulnerable persons to the police.

The latest incident has again highlighted concerns about child sexual abuse and the protection of minors in Abuja. Under Nigerian law, allegations involving sexual offences against children are subject to investigation and prosecution, and suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court.

The identity of the child has not been disclosed in keeping with the need to protect the privacy and welfare of a minor allegedly involved in a sexual-abuse case.

Police Arrest Man Caught Sexually Assaulting 12-Year-Old Girl in Car

Electric Spark Suspected as Fire Destroys 21 Shops at Abuja’s Kugbo Market

An electrical spark has been blamed by an eyewitness for a fire that destroyed 21 shops and a vehicle at Kugbo Furniture Market along the Abuja-Keffi Expressway in the Federal Capital Territory.

The fire, which occurred on Friday, October 2, 2026, left traders counting losses after flames swept through a section of the market where furniture, foam, timber and other highly combustible materials were stored.

An eyewitness, Mary Aniekan, alleged that the fire started shortly after electricity was restored by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC). She said traders noticed an electrical spark before the fire rapidly spread through the affected shops.

However, emergency authorities have not officially established the cause of the fire, making the electrical-spark account an eyewitness explanation rather than a confirmed finding.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said its Abuja Operations Office received a distress call at about 11:15am and immediately activated emergency responders, including the Federal Fire Service.

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According to NEMA‘s preliminary assessment, 21 shops and one vehicle were affected by the fire. No death was recorded, while some valuable items were reportedly recovered from the affected area.

Firefighters and other emergency personnel worked to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to other parts of the market. The affected area was subsequently dampened to reduce the possibility of a secondary outbreak.

Emergency operations were brought to an end at about 1:40pm after the situation was brought under control.

Traders said the fire spread quickly because of the nature of goods stored in the affected shops, including foam, timber, furniture materials and other combustible products.

The chairman of the Kugbo Wood Machinist Association, Godswill Ndukwe, estimated that goods worth about N500 million were destroyed in the incident. The figure is a preliminary estimate by traders and has not been independently verified.

Ndukwe appealed to the Federal Capital Territory Administration and Abuja Municipal Area Council to take measures to improve fire prevention and emergency response arrangements at the market.

The latest Kugbo Market fire has also renewed concerns about recurring fire incidents in the area. In February 2026, another fire reportedly destroyed more than 15 shops and adjoining residential structures at the market.

Traders and residents had, during the earlier incident, raised concerns about the concentration of workshops and combustible materials, as well as inadequate spacing and other conditions that could make it difficult for emergency responders to contain fires quickly.

The latest incident did not result in any reported fatalities or injuries, but the destruction of the shops has left affected traders facing significant financial losses.

Authorities are expected to establish the actual cause of the fire as investigations continue, while traders have called for improved fire safety measures, electrical checks and emergency preparedness at Kugbo Market.

Electric Spark Suspected as Fire Destroys 21 Shops at Abuja’s Kugbo Market