Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin

No fewer than  3,000 thousand members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), less than one week after the party suffered a crushing defeat in the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

The mass defections took place in Taiwo area of Ilorin, led by Bamidele Aluko, a former House of Assembly member and staunch foot soldier of Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Meanwhile, the governorship candidate of the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP) in the state, Dr AbdulMumeen Yinka Ajia, has declared his support for APC’s AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, saying the latter largely represents his dream about the state.

Ajia, a leading candidate with appreciable following among the youths, said in a statement at the weekend, in Ilorin, that AbdulRazaq’s victory will turn the page for the political history of Kwara.

Ajia also announced his immediate resignation from the ANRP and movement to the APC, “because the situation in Kwara is really not about party but our struggle against retrogressive leadership as a people.”

He called on his supporters to deliver their bloc votes for the APC candidate.

“I have also gone through his manifesto and I am assured that the progressive, people-centred Kwara that I envision can be kick-started under his leadership,” Ajia added.

Aluko, leader of the decampees, was chairman of the Kwara United Football Club and the PDP leader in Badari Ward of Ilorin West, the most populated local government area of Kwara State.

Other top defectors included Alhaji Alao Abdulyekeen, another PDP top gun from Baboko area of Ilorin, and Akeem Dare youth leader from Balogun Fulani Ward 1.

Similarly, yesterday, in Ilorin, over 500 PDP members from Asa Local Government Area joined the  APC.

Leaders of the defectors said the outcome of the National Assembly elections was the clearest manifestation yet “that Kwarans have decided to reject and retire Senator Saraki.

“Our people are tired. Salaries don’t get paid in the true sense of the word and the infrastructure on ground is not commensurate with the resources the state has received over the years.

“Worst still, people are tired of leaders who see everything from their own comfort zone,” Aluko said at a reception held for them by the APC, represented by Barrister Kunle Suleiman and Olawoyin Magaji.

The mass defection came a few days after over 500 PDP members from Osin Wara, Osin Egbejila Ward and others, declared allegiance to the APC in Surulere area of the state capital.

They described AbdulRazaq as the “Moses of our time who is changing the political history of the state.”

Despite Saraki’s vow to win  the governorship election, analysts have called the ballot in favour of the APC in the state, especially after the all-round defeat of the PDP in the National Assembly elections.

Saraki and all the PDP  parliamentary candidates lost, the first time the senate president’s political dynasty suffered such defeat.