Ondo ex-Speaker, ex-PDP lawmakers defect to APC

A few months before the Ondo State governorship election, some chieftains of the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party defected to the All Progressives Congress on Wednesday.

The Independent National Electoral Commission fixed November 16, 2024, for the governorship election in Ondo State.

Following the campaigns in the 18 Local Government Areas of the state, former federal lawmakers, Mr Akinlaja Joseph, Lad Alaba Ojomo, Victor Akinjo and Gboluga Ikengboju and the former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Jumoke Akindele joined the APC from the PDP.

Also joining the APC were former Commissioner for Works, Gboye Adegbenro and a former PDP chairman, Mr Ebenezer Alaba, among others.

Receiving the defectors in Akure, the state capital, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa said they had finally sealed the unification of all the credible political tendencies in Ondo State.

The governor said, “The APC now has all the major players of the Adefarati era, all the major players of the Agagu era and now all the key players of the Mimiko era in one party, all in the bid to move Ondo State forward on all fronts.”

The leader of the defectors, Akinlaja, who represented Ondo- East/Ondo-West Federal Constituency from 2011 to 2015, said they had since moved around the state to enlist their friends, colleagues and followers to solidify their commitment to the cause of the APC, Ondo State people and Nigeria.

“We have said it before but it needs to be restated that we are joining the APC mostly from the PDP to contribute our quota to the seamless victory of His Excellency, Hon Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa and the APC in the forthcoming election.

“Also, we are in APC to support President Bola Tinubu and to contribute to the solution of the myriad of challenges facing our dear country, rather than remain in an unserious structure that is neither desirous of nor prepared for victory,” Akinlaja stated.