No fewer than 500 members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Monday, defected to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ifedayo local government area of Osun State.
The defectors were received into the PDP by the State Chairman, Sunday Bisi who noted that developments in the state have convinced a lot of APC members to leave the party for the PDP, insisting that many are still coming before the year’s end.
The state chairman said the forthcoming local government elections slated for February 2025 will end APC’s existence in Osun.
Assuring the mammoth crowd, Bisi appealed to all and sundry to continue supporting the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
He noted that what the current administration has done in the last two years surpasses that of the APC in the state.
Welcoming the new defectors, he assured them that in the PDP, there is nothing like discrimination.
“I want to assure those who joined our party today, in PDP, we don’t discriminate. Let’s join hands with those you met to move the party forward. There are lots of goodies on ground for all of us.
“Let me assure you all that come February 2025, PDP will coast to victory at the polls. Let us mobilise members and non-members for that election. We want to use the election to tell APC that Osun is not like Edo or Ondo. No rigging templates will work here. We are fully prepared.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Goke Folayan said part of what informed their decision to join the PDP is that Governor Adeleke has proven his critics wrong.
He said, “nobody could ever imagine that the Governor would perform and today, he is delivering on his promises to the people, making life more bearable for the people.”
He said, “It is sad that my former party, APC couldn’t remember Ifedayo local government for the whole twelve years they spent. They keep deceiving our people, making vague promises. In just two years, the abandoned Ora-Igbomina water scheme is being reconstructed by Governor Adeleke.
“Our coming to the PDP is to join hands together with those we met to move our local government forward. By the grace of God, Kayode Atolagbe and all his councillors will win. This will send the remnant of APC members in Ifedayo into complete oblivion.
The high point of the event was the handing over of PDP flags by the state chairman to the Chairmanship candidate, the vice chairmanship and other councilorship candidates.