By Solomon Odeniyi
One of the governorship aspirants under the All Progressives Congress (APC), and former Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Elder Peter Babalola, has disclosed why he defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
It would be recalled Babalola left the PDP for the APC in May 2010 as a result of what he described as impunity in the party then.
He alleged the ruling party of imposing the party’s flag bearer on the people which he said negated the principle of equity and justice laid by the founding fathers of the state.
He said, “It was wrong for the party to pick its gubernatorial candidate from the Osun Central Senatorial District.
“This was the reason for my decision to work with the PDP, which has picked its candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, from the Osun West Senatorial District to win the election scheduled for September 22, 2018”.
He added that he could have gone to another party with a candidate from the west but for Adeleke’s acceptability among the masses.
Receiving the Ikire born politician, the state Chairman of the party, Hon Soji Adagunodo lauded Babalola for returning to the party, describing the rate of defections to PDP as a plus for the party.
He said, ”I am happy that our leader, Chief Peter Babalola is coming back to the PDP, the house he joined other stakeholders of our party to build more than a decade ago.
“He is joining us today with his teeming supporters across all the 30 local government areas of the state. He has come back to his house.
“He is teaming up with us to take over power from the APC. At Ila Orangun, on Thursday, we received more than 5, 000 APC members into the PDP. This is a gathering storm shattering the APC in Osun.”
The South West PDP Deputy Chairman, Yomi Akinwonmi assured Babalola of the right and privileges due to him as a leader in the party.
Senator Ademola Adeleke, the governorship candidate of the party, the South West PDP Deputy Chairman, Yomi Akinwonmi, and the Osun State Chairman, Soji Adagunodo, among other top party leaders received Babalola back to the party.