Amid Uncertainty, APC, PDP Chieftains Scramble for ADC Tickets

Femi Ogbonnikan In Abeokuta

As the gale of defections continues across the federation, aggrieved chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State have turned to African Democratic Congress (ADC) to pursue their aspiration.

Apart from an APC chieftain, Chief Jamiu Omoniyi that announced his defection yesterday, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka (Ogun PDP) and Dr. Gbolade Oshinowo (Ogun APC) among others had joined the ADC to pursue their political ambition.

Likewise, former Oyo State Governor, Chief Rasheed Ladoja (Oyo PDP) as well as Chief Fatai Akinbade (Osun PDP) had equally defected to the ADC due to what they ascribed to intractable intra-party crisis.

The ADC, which has former President Olusegun Obasanjo as its arrowhead, had scores of political bigwigs due to political uncertainty and internal wrangling that beclouded their political aspiration, especially in the APC and PDP.

The influx of political bigwigs to the ADC has already caused panics in the ranks of the APC and PDP, though the party still has a lot of work to do if it must make good impact in the 2019 elections.
Declaring his defection saturday, Omoniyi indicated intention to contest for Yewa North and Imeko Afon Federal Constituency, Ogun State, in the 2019 general elections.

Omoniyi, a chartered accountant, pledged commitment to a process of giving new definition “to political representation in his ambition.

“Having been part of the electorates for long, voting for political office holders, I have not been satisfied enough with the quality of representation by successive lawmakers, especially in his Federal Constituency, Yewa North/Imeko Afon.”

Omoniyi added that he had “all it takes to give political representation a new definition in his constituency and in Ogun West Senatorial district in general.”

Omoniyi said he joined the ADC in view of the promise made by the party “to bring about positive change in the nation to entrench the rule of law and internal democracy.

“All these combined with the vision I had when going into partisan-politics. At the formative stage, when APC emerged from the merger that gave birth to it, it held promises for a politician like him that believed that there should be departure from the old order.

“But today, now after wide consultation that involved every level of my supporters, my decision to join the ADC is because the APC has failed to live up to the ideals behind its formation.

“The APC has not delivered the true dividends of democracy and the vision behind its formation as promised. The APC, as a party, failed to deliver on its promises. It can no longer support the kind of aspiration I have,” Omoniyi said.

As a result, according to him, the time is now ripe for me to move on and align with a platform that can support my aspiration and welcome my programmes of action for the political office.