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…as former state party chairman cites “political slavery”
From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Ahead of the 2027 general election, no fewer than 5,000 stalwarts and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State have defected the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP members who were mainly from the Ogun West Senatorial District, were officially received into the APC by the party chairman in the state, Yemi Sanusi, at a reception ceremony held at the Agunloye Pavilion, Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area, on Sunday.
The event was also attended by the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, the governorship candidate of the APC, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola otherwise known as Yayi and other leaders of the party in the state.
Speaking, the former state chairman of the PDP, Sikirullahi Ogundele, said that decided to lead other notable PDP leaders to the ruling party to escape “political slavery” in his former party where he dislosed that he spent seven years.
He further disclosed that the mass movement of governors and other prominent politicians away from the PDP was evidence of the deep crisis within the party, stressing that it would amount to a political suicide of an experienced party leaders like himself and others still stay in the party.
Commenting on the controversy surrounding the origin status of the APC governorship candidate, Ogundele described such allegations as a recurring feature that is so peculiar with the governorship contests in the state.
He, however, urged party supporters to disregard claims questioning Adeola’s Ogun roots, recalling that similar allegations had been made against past governors of the state, beginning from Aremo Olusegun Osoba in 1999, to Otunba Gbenga Daniel in 2003 and Ibikunle Amosun in 2011, stressing that despite that, they all won the elections.
“They said Amosun is from Benin Republic, Daniel from Delta State, Osoba from Osogbo. Despite that, they all emerged as governors of the state. So, what is going on against Yayi now is an indication that he will also win”, he stated.
Presenting APC ‘broom’ symbol to the decampees, the party chairman in the state, Yemi Sanusi, assured them that they will maintain their leadership status in the APC.
He further urged the defectors to work assiduously in their respective wards to ensure that the APC wins all the elective positions in the state come 2027.
In his remarks, Governor Abiodun commended the new entrants into APC for taking to the bold step to join the ruling party, noting that they will be accommodated and integrated fully into the party.
