‘We Are Not Missing You’ – Ondo PDP Tells Former Members Who Joined APC

The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has stated that it is not missing some of its chieftains who dumped the party and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Naijaonpoint reports that PDP’s remark comes shortly after some members officially declared their shift to the APC.

Reacting, PDP said it remains undisturbed by the recent defection rocking the party in the state.

Among those who defected are former federal legislators Akinlaja Joseph, Lad Alaba Ojomo, Victor Akinjo, and Gboluga Ikengboju, as well as the former speaker of the state House of Assembly, Jumoke Akindele.

Nevertheless, a statement released on Thursday by Ayo Fadaka, the Special Adviser for Media and Publicity of the PDP Campaign Organisation, indicated that the main opposition party is confident in its ability to secure victory in the upcoming governorship election scheduled for November 16, despite this turn of events.

The statement further noted that the defectors had already been aligned with the APC prior to their official exit, suggesting that their absence would not significantly impact the party.

The statement read, “We take due cognisance of the actions of some people led by Joseph Akinlaja that have since joined the APC two months ago. We restate that prior to their action, they were completely detached from developments within our party, even one of them that vied for our governorship ticket was sponsored by the APC, which had earlier nominated him as NDDC Commissioner at the onset of the Tinubu administration. Such a character cannot be considered an asset to our party.

“We note conclusively that these people are mere rolling stones who gather no moss as they relocate from one party to another during every election cycle. They have never been politically stable, the reason we are not missing them. They will add nothing to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his party; rather, they will become unlucky, and we congratulate him and APC on this account.

“To serious-minded people remaining in APC, we urge them to take cognisance that a large chunk of their colleagues responsible for APC’s success in the past have since teamed up with us, so they must waste no further time to join the PDP in our quest to reposition our state for development and growth.”

Meanwhile, the chances of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Saturday governorship election have been strengthened after nine political parties unanimously collapsed into the party in Edo State.

The Chairman of the Edo State chapter of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Sam Arase, announced on behalf of the Assembly of Registered Political Parties in Edo State that the parties prefer the APC candidate and are confident of victory.

The parties include the Social Democratic Party of Nigeria (SDP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Peoples Party (APP), Accord (A), Young Progressive Party (YPP), Action Alliance (AA), and National Rescue Movement (NRM).

The parties demand a violence-free election and urge Edo citizens to come out en masse and vote for APC.