Some leaders of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State along with their teeming supporters on Thursday, April 13, 2023, defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The leaders according to a statement by APC state Director, Media & Publicity, Steve Otaloro, are mainly staunch supporters of the late Hon. Adedayo Omolafe a.k.a Expensive, a former member of House of Representatives representing Akure South/North, who died while in office.
A former Deputy Chairman of Akure South LG, Hon. Smart Oloye, who served under Omolafe, led the Team-Expensive to APC Secretariat to indicate their interest in fully aligning with the APC, after working with the party in the past.
Oloye said: “The reason we are here today is to formally declare for APC after making consultations across the entire political landscape of Akure LG led by our former mentor Adedayo Omolafe – Expensive. We want the political structure left behind by our late mentor Adedayo Omolafe to be fully integrated into APC and given a sense of belonging like every member and the chairman of the party, Engr. Ade Adetimehin has assured us of meaningful support”.
He said he led the crème de la crème of political figures of Akure South LG to APC because they believed it’s the best thing to do moving forward after waiting for this long.
He acknowledged the political sagacity, understanding, and love shown to the group by Engr. Ade Adetimehin after the death of their political mentor, Adedayo Omolafe.
He said the APC Chairman has been very supportive of the family of their late leader.
Taiye Jombo, in his contributions, appraised the APC Chairman in State as a great leader whose winning streak has strategically weakened the opposition parties, especially the PDP in Ondo State.
“This is the first time in the history of the state that we have two strong political parties, APC and the PDP, that a party chairman’s erudite knowledge in politics, management capability, and dynamism continued to weaken the other party in the state without given anyone incentives before they voluntarily came to APC in the State,” Taiye Jombo said.
He added that this attribute of Engr. Adetimehin is one good reason they decided to join APC.
Receiving the defectors, APC state Chairman, Engr. Ade Adetimehin assured the new entrants of equal opportunities in the party. He reeled out the names of the new members defecting to APC as Hon. Smart Oloye, former Deputy Chairman, Akure South LG; Taiye Jombo, Seun Adanri, Woman leader of PDP In Akure South; Ranti Fakinlede, legislative aide to the late Adedayo Omolafe, and Hon. Muyiwa Agunloye, the current PDP treasurer in Akure South LG.
Engr. Adetimehin also mentioned Muyiwa Adu, former PDP House of Representatives candidate, and Yekini Olanipeukun as persons, who have indicated interest in joining the APC.
Adetimehin was happy to receive PDP chieftains to the APC and promised to formally accept them to the party in an elaborate rally when the leader of the party and Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN resumes from his annual leave.