The intra-party crises rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All
Progressives Congress (APC) have begun to take tolls on the parties as
thousands of their members now daily defect to the Alliance for Democracy
(AD).
The latest of such defections were recorded at Idanre (Central Senatorial
District), Imoru and Ijagba in Ose Council area (Northern) and Arogbo in
Ese Odo council (Southern) during AD Governorship Candidate, Chief Olusola
Oke’s campaign tour of the areas.
The defectors hinged decision to dump their erstwhile parties for AD on
the crises in their parties, the growing popularity of Oke and his
clear-cut development mission and agenda coupled with his antecedents at
the NDDC and Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission
(OSOPADEC).
Leaders of the defectors, who spoke at the different campaign rallies,
said they were convinced that only AD could take the state to the promised
land, promising to work for the party’s success in the November
26 election in the interest of transformation of the land and better life
for the people.
Oke, who received the new members into the party on behalf of the AD
national chairman, praised them for deciding to be part of movement to
liberate Ondo State from the locusts that had invaded it in the last seven
and half years.
The AD governorship candidate, who said the party was revived as a vehicle
to bring about redemption of the state from PDP which had foisted bad
leadership on it and as well ensure that the APC which had demonstrated
its inefficiency and incompetence at the federal level did not assume
leadership in the state.
“At the polls on November 26, we are going to fight the war of freedom.
War of development. The economy of Ondo State is in shambles now. We have
to redress the situation with our votes for AD.
“The state of economy of Ondo State needs urgent attention. That is why
the next governor of the state must have the necessary experience and
capability to effect the needed real change. I have offered myself for
this task and all Yoruba leaders have given me the go-ahead,” Oke said.
The AD candidate, who lamented that the present government in the state
had plunged the state into huge debt with nothing to show for the
borrowings and other revenues that accrued the state since 2009, thus
making it difficult to pay workers’ salaries or embark on development
projects,” he said.