Some loyalists of the former governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, in Ilesa East local government, have left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The Oyetola loyalists, among those who are serving ward executives of the APC, met with the State Chairman of the PDP, Hon. Sunday Bisi, on Sunday to finalise their defection.
OSUN DEFENDER gathered that 33 chieftains of the APC, including ward executives of the party who represent their various groups, met with Bisi in Ilesa.
Findings by the medium revealed that some of the defectors include the APC Chairman and Youth Leader in Ward 3 of the Local Government, Messrs. Olawale Omole, and Osuolale Abiodun.
The Treasurer of the APC in Ward 7, Mr. Oni Obadare, the Secretary of the party in Ward 4, Mr. Ajayi Taiwo, and three party officials in the ward, were also among those who left the party for the PDP.
A local government executive of the party, Mr. Kolapo Olowokere, who is from Ward 7, and Mr. Olaniyi Oladele, a party official from the same ward, have also joined the PDP.
Speaking at the meeting, Bisi welcomed the new PDP members and commended their conviction to join the ruling party in the state.
Bisi urged the new members to actively engage in party activities in their locality, promising that the party would be fair to every one of them.
It was learnt that the state leadership of the PDP will officially receive the former APC members on April 21, 2024.
OSUN DEFENDER noted that the current ward, local government, and state executives of the APC are members, loyalists, and supporters of the Oyetola-led faction of the APC who were imposed on the party in a parallel congress in 2021 when the former governor was a member of the Caretaker and Extra Ordinary Convention Planning Committee of the APC.