The unexpected happened in Ogun on Friday as loyalists of progressive politicians defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The defectors were loyalists of former Gov. Segun Osoba, former Gov. Ibikunle Amosun, and sitting Gov. Dapo Abiodun.
Others decamped to the PDP and resigned their membership in the Labour Party (LP), the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
They declared support for the governorship candidate of PDP in the state, Mr Ladi Adebutu.
The decampees were received amid funfair at the PDP secretariat in Abeokuta by the State Chairman, Mr Sikirulai Ogundele, Adebutu and other leaders of the PDP in the state.
The decampees were led by a former Deputy Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Mr Tola Banjo from Amosun’s group; Saka Ahmed from Osoba’s group and Yinka Asaye from Gov. Abiodun’s group.
Other decampees were the governorship candidate of LP at the 2019 election, Mrs Modupe Sanyaolu and former councillors in the Amosun-led administration between 2016 and 2019.
Handing over the PDP flag to the decampees, Ogundele assured them that they would not regret joining the PDP.
In his remarks, PDP’s deputy governorship candidate for 2023, Abdulkabir Akinlade said the PDP would defeat the APC in 2023 and also send it to its early retirement in Ogun.
On his part, Adebutu said that he would tackle insecurity, unemployment, and bad roads and ensure the provision of quality healthcare in the state.
Adebutu urged aggrieved members of the APC and members of other opposition parties to join the PDP in defeating APC in the next election.
He assured the decampees of fairness, saying “everyone has equal rights in the PDP.’’ (NAN)
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