Adekunle Akinlade, the preferred governorship candidate of Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, has dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Mr Akinlade is a serving member of the House of Representatives representing Egbado South and Ipokia Federal Constituency.
His defection was announced on the floor of the House on Thursday.
Three other lawmakers also moved to other parties.
Rabiu Kaugama from Jigawa moved from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Salisu Koko from Kebbi joined APC from SDP while Mohammed Ajanah from Kogi defected to PDP from APC.
Akinlade had lost the governorship ticket of the APC to Dapo Abiodun despite all efforts by Mr Amosun to ensure his anointed candidate succeeds him.
Following the controversies which trailed the primaries, Amosun had said he was under pressure to leave the ruling party.
He later pledged loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari, promising to work for his re-election.
Subsequently, he lashed at the leadership of his party, vowing to hand over to Akinlade in 2019.
As a result of his feud with the party leadership, Amosun was the only south-west governor absent when Isiaka Oyetola was sworn in as governor of Osun State on Tuesday.
Akinlade’s defection comes two days after Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha vowed to support his own preferred candidate Uche Nwosu for the Imo governorship ticket if he joins another party on the condition that the party would endorse President Buhari for a second term.
Nwosu, who is married to Okorocha, had lost APC Imo governorship ticket to Senator Hope Uzodinma.
