Kazeem Badmus
AHEAD of the July 16 gubernatorial election in the State of Osun, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has started witnessing massive defection of its members to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The defections are coming after series of protests by APC members on the controversial State and National Assembly primary elections.
Members of the APC had been defecting from the party to PDP in Osogbo, Olorunda, Iwo, Egbedore, Ede, Ila, Irepodun, Ife Central and Ife East local governments of the state.
A stalwart of the APC, Mr. Kolapo Alimi, announced his defection to the PDP last week Saturday, a situation that sent tongue wagging.
Alimi, a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs under the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, was the Secretary of The Osun Progressives (TOP), a caucus of the APC that is agitating for the restructuring of the party.
He was one of the legal practitioners that fought the legal battle instituted against Governor Adegboyega Oyetola by Senator Ademola Adeleke after he was declared winner of the 2018 governorship election.
Upon defection, Alimi was appointed Deputy Director-General of Adeleke Campaign Organisation.
The Erin Osun born politician had on several occasions accused Oyetola of sidelining those that worked for his victory in 2018.
In Osogbo, the APC lost some youths on Sunday when a popular member of the party, Lekan Oyeyemi, left the party for the PDP.
Oyeyemi, popularly known as Ajagungbade Emir, led hundreds of other APC youths in the State to PDP on Sunday, June 12.
He decried what he described as arrogant and non-challant attitude of APC government towards the plight of youths in the State.
“It is appalling that anyone not of Lagos cronies of APC is seen as a second class citizen, even in his fatherland. Such trend if not checked by the voting strength of the youths would amount to ceding our right to the crude impostors”, he said during his declaration for PDP.
Ex-APC Chairmen, IleriOluwa Coordinator Defect to PDP In Ife
Former Chairmen of the APC in Ife East, Hon. Kayode Ogundele and his counterpart in Ife Central local government, Adeleke Enitilo have also defected to the PDP.
Also, the Coordinator of IleriOluwa Vendor in Ife Central, Mrs. Ojuolape Olagbaju, have resigned her membership of the APC to join the PDP.
Ogundele, Enitilo and Olagbaju announced the defection to the PDP on Monday when they paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of Ademola Adeleke Campaign Council, Prof Wale Oladipo, in Ile-Ife.
The trio vowed to work for the victory of Sen. Ademola Adeleke during the coming governorship election.
They accused the leadership of APC of injustice against them in the just concluded primary elections into the National and State Assembly.
Ogundele who spoke on behalf of others, said their decision to join “Imole Team” was borne out of their love towards making Osun great, saying, “PDP is the only party that can give people of Osun the needed change we deserve.
“We are very comfortable with the leadership style of Prof Wale Oladipo, he is a leader of many parts. We are going to put everything in our custody to make sure PDP win the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Osun.”
More Defections Likely in Coming Weeks – Sources
OSUN DEFENDER reliably gathered that APC is likely to be hard hit with more defections in the coming weeks, in the face of the ongoing secrecy on the primary elections results.
Some members of the party who confided in the medium disclosed that if the leadership of APC did not act fast, the party will lose more of its members and its consequences might be disastrous.
The members said those who felt cheated in the last primaries have been putting plans in place to defect to the opposition party.
They said: “There might be more mass defections across local governments of the state. The last primary elections of the party have caused a lot of damage and people are angry with the leadership of the party.
“If the leadership of the party fail to rise up and do the needful, the consequences might be too much for the incumbent governor. Those who felt cheated are already planning on how to move to the opposition party.
“The State and National Assembly primaries of the party had a lot of issues and it was further complicated when the leaders called some delegates to sign blank result sheets. This indicated that the party leaders are trying to impose candidates and we are not going to take it.”
