Nine APC State Working Committee Members Defects to ADP in Osun

Yinka kolawole in Osogbo

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday suffered a setback as nine out of 16 State Working Committee members in Osun State resigned their membership of the party to join the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the state.

The party officials in their letter of resignation jointly signed and made available to the Chairman of the party, Gboyega Famodun, said they took the decision after due consultations with their mentors, close political associates and public and the supporters of the party.

They were led by the state Deputy Chairman of APC, Alhaji Azeez Issa Adesiji.

Other members are Ex-officio, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbeti; State Auditor, Prince Ademola Bamidele; Assistant General Secretary, Alhaji Rasheed Bakare; State PRO, Akinola Morakinyo; Ex-officio, Wole Adunola; Assistant Welfare Secretary, Dr. Idayat Bakare; Assistant PRO, Mrs. Ogundare Aina Afolabi; and Assistant Treasurer, Alhaji Sikiru Karim.

Declaring their membership for ADP at the party secretariat along Biket Area, Osogbo, Adesiji said 580 local government executive members from across 25 local government councils of the state as well as 5,620 ward executives of the APC are defecting along with them.

He noted that they are defecting to ADP, a new credible alternative party because of impunity and undemocratic practices being practised in their former party.

“Out of the 780 local government executive members in the APC in Osun State, 580 are now moving with me. Also, among the 8,632 ward executives of APC in the state, 5,620 are also joining the train to our new party ADP,” he said.

Adesiji observed nepotism, god fatherism, impunity of the highest order, unconcerned attitudes of the decision makers, abandonment of party members at ward, local government and state levels made it so difficult for them to remain in APC.

“We also objected the idea of Osun State being run as an output of another state and the principle of fairness and even development in which the creation of the state was agitated has been abandoned by APC cabal in Osun State.

“With the aforementioned reasons, myself and others here present and many more of our followers at home have chosen the path of honour by resigning our membership from APC and informing the good people of the state and country at large of our decision to move enmass to the vibrant and dynamic ADP.

In the joint letter of resignation addressed to state Chairman of APC, Gboyega Famodun, Adediji said they took the decision after due consultations with their mentors, close political associates and public and lovers of the party.

Receiving former members of APC to the fold of the party, the state Chairman of ADP, Hon. Toye Ola Akinola, expressed happiness at the decision taken by the defectors and assured them of great benefit for their action.

He stressed that they have automatically become full bona-fide members of ADP with their action stressing that the party would work assiduously with their support and that of the people of the state to take over the state from APC.

While acknowledging that the defectors are men and women of high integrity and honour, Akinola said that the mass movement of APC into ADP is in phases, adding that more members have indicated their interest to dump APC and join ADP.

He said that party would soon embark on sensitisation and enlightenment of residents of the state on the logo and other identity of the party to the people.

But when contacted, the Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy of APC, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi said if it is true that the defectors have actually dump the party, the APC wish them.

He said their defection would not stop APC from winning the September 22 governorship election in the state.

“It is minus to us but that minus can be ignored, Oyatomi said