About 100 politicians, cutting across three political parties, yesterday, defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Iju/Itaogbolu, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The defectors claimed to have dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) for the PDP. They were received by the party’s governorship candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, the state Chairman, Fatai Adams; a former deputy governor, Omolade Oluwateru, and a House of Representatives member (Akure North/South Constituency), Adedayo Omolafe.
Speaking for the defectors, a former ACPN candidate for the House of Assembly election, Busuyi Alademehin, said: “We resolved to join the PDP and mobilise our supporters to vote for the party because of the personality of Jegede.
“Here is a man who has always been in touch with the common people, especially those at the grassroots; and we believe if we elect him as our governor, he will do all within his powers to alleviate our suffering.
“No doubt, we had got tempting offers from APC, begging us to join them but we turned them down.
“We are better informed and are not ready to mortgage our future; not after these three and half years of neglect by those in the helm of affairs.”
Also, a former PDP chairman, Ebenezer Alabi, denied a rumour that he had joined the deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, to defect to Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Jegede assured them of a level-playing field.