The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the November 16, 2024, election in Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, has debunked reports suggesting his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or any coalition arrangement involving the party.
In a joint statement released Wednesday in Akure, Ajayi and eight other top PDP leaders in the state described the defection report as “false and misleading.”
“We wish to, as leaders of PDP in Ondo State, offer clarity, encouragement, and reassurance to all of you who have stood with PDP through thick and thin,” the statement read.
Naijaonpoint reports that the clarification comes amid media speculation triggered by political realignments and coalition talks involving national opposition figures.
The statement, signed by prominent PDP stakeholders including the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and two Board of Trustees members, stated emphatically that the PDP, both at the national and state levels, had not entered into any coalition or alliance with other political parties or groups.
“Neither the national leadership nor the Ondo State leadership has initiated any coalition or alignment with any other political party or groups,” it stated.
The leaders stressed that the party structure in Ondo State remains “intact and active” across all 203 wards and 18 local government areas.
“The PDP is not just a political party, it is a movement of hope, of democracy, and of purposeful governance,” the statement emphasised.
They encouraged members who may have been “misled” by recent media narratives or political movements to retrace their steps, stressing that the PDP’s strength lies not in “temporary alignments” but in the loyalty of its members.
Other signatories to the statement include Senator Bode Olajumoke, Eddy Olafeso, Clement Faboyede, Olajide Oguntodu, Ladi Omotehinse, Bakkita Bello, and Oluseye Olujimi.