By AKEEM ABAS
Ahead of the Governorship/House of Assembly election on March 18, the camp of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has received more defectors from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The defectors from two PDP groups were received on Wednesday by the State APC Secretary, Alhaji Tajudeen Olanite, at the party secretariat.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two groups received into the APC are Integrity Youth Vanguard (IYF), led by Fola Afolabi, and Idera De Disciples (IDD), led by Tunde Adewumi.
NAN recalls that five different groups within Oyo PDP, with no fewer than 7,000 members, on Monday joined the APC following its brilliant performance at the Presidential and National Assembly elections of Feb. 25.
The two groups with members drawn from across the 33 Local Governments in the state, came with over 5,000 members to join the APC, expressing their collective resolve to unseat Gov. Seyi Makinde.
Mr Fola Afolabi, the IYF leader, decried the poor handling of Oyo PDP affairs and governance of the state by the governor.
Mr Tunde Adewunmi, the IDD Leader, expressed readiness to work assiduously for the victory of the APC governorship candidate, Sen. Teslim Folarin, and other APC candidates on Saturday.
Adewunmi said that the victory of APC would assuage feelings of victims of the governor’s alleged high-handedness.
“I was the Accord candidate for Ibadan North Constituency II in the 2019 election and just like hundreds of party candidates involved in the coalition arrangement, I sacrificed my ambition.
“Up till today, there is nothing to show for the sacrifices we made. To make matters worse, the present administration has strangulated the local government system in the state.
“These actions alone has made life unbearable for the masses,” he alleged.
Olanite welcomed the defectors into the APC, promising that the party would not discriminate against any member as all would be treated as one big family.
He urged the new members to work assiduously to ensure that Folarin and other APC candidates emerge victorious in Saturday’s election.
Among those who joined Olanite in receiving the defectors are Mr John Oyetunji, Alhaji Olalekan Busari, Mrs Taiwo Moteleola, Sayo Fatoki and Olawale Sadare.
Other leaders of the defecting PDP groups are Ayobami Ajayi, Sunday Adepoju, Sheriff Ojetunde, Kehinde Olatunde, Saheed Adewole, Oluwamayowa Adekunle and Oluseye Ogundeji.
(NAN)
