Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has formally welcomed former ward leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) from four local government areas in Ogun East Senatorial District into the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The defectors are from Ijebu North, Ijebu East, Ijebu North-East and Odogbolu Local Government Areas.
Speaking at a meeting with the new APC members in Abeokuta on Wednesday, Abiodun described the APC as the party to beat in Ogun State, questioning why some politicians continued to remain in opposition parties despite their repeated electoral defeats.
The governor specifically criticised the PDP, noting that the party had lost elections in Ogun State in both 2019 and 2023.
“Those of you who are still with the Peoples Democratic Party, I find it difficult to understand why you are still there. In 2019, they lost; in 2023, they lost again. What are you still doing there?”
He also questioned what the ADC had to offer its members, arguing that opposition parties had failed to provide the level of development being delivered by his administration.
Abiodun said his administration would continue completing projects abandoned by previous governments, stressing that such projects were funded with taxpayers’ money.
He cited the completion of a hospital and the Buhari Estate as examples of projects inherited from previous administrations.
“This is the first government that has completed abandoned projects from previous administrations. Doing that is part of my vow because they were not embarked upon with anybody’s father’s money; they were funded with our taxes.”
The governor urged the defectors to become advocates of the APC and its Renewed Hope Agenda, promising that a proper rally would soon be organised to formally receive them into the party.
He also assured them that they would not regret their decision to join the ruling party.
The APC State Chairman, Yemi Sanusi, welcomed the defectors, describing their decision as a wise one. He said the APC remained an accommodating platform capable of providing opportunities for members to contribute to Ogun State’s development.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, former PDP and ADC ward leaders said they decided to leave the opposition and join the APC because of what they described as the development taking place across Ogun State.
The ADC Secretary in Ijebu East, Michael Bakare, also thanked Abiodun for what he described as his role in ensuring that Imobi got a traditional ruler, saying their defection represented a move from “retrogression” to progress.
