Gale of Defection Hits Ondo PDP

Fidelis David reports that in recent times, the People’s Democratic Party in Ondo state appears to be plagued by internal wrangling and disaffection of some members which had led to increased defection of key chieftains of the party to the ruling All Progressives Congress.

With the battle for the 2023 general election concluded, the next point of call for major political gladiators is Kogi, Edo and Ondo States.  Specifically, come 2024, voters in Ondo state  will again troop out to exercise their right to determine who governs the state for another four years after the expiration of the tenure of the incumbent Governor,  Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. It is expected to be a titanic contest, in view of a number of factors.

Inquisitively, what is the level of the firmness or preparedness of the major opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which has unabatedly wallowed in a political storm of division and a gale of defection?

Although,  there are no fewer than 18 political parties recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which defectors in the state can join but  it appears these people are looking out for parties that already have some perceived electoral value to hitch on to.

This apparently forced some chieftains of the party and members, across six local government council areas to recently dump their party PDP  for the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state.

The six local government areas include Akure South, Akoko South-West, Akoko South-East, Akoko North-West, and Akoko North-East and Idanre.

Leading the defectors in Akure South, a former House of Representatives candidate of the party, Dr. Olumuyiwa Adu, popularly called ‘Adu Cubana’, said he opted to join the progressive fold, to ensure his followers got their share of good governance.

Other leaders of the PDP that defected to the APC included executives of the party in four local governments, namely Akoko South-West, Akoko South-East, Akoko North-West and Akoko North-East in Ondo North Senatorial District, Ondo Chairman of PDP Support Group, Bode Obanla, followers of the late lawmaker, Omolafe Adedayo, Elder Smart Oloye, Femi Omolafe, Femi Kolawole, a two-time councillor in Idanre Local Government, Felix Ogundairo, Funke Lawani, Sunday Afolabi, House of Representatives candidates, Olubunmi Adaramola, Johnson Kehinde, Fafunmilade Tilerewa, among others.

Also, leading the defectors from the Northern Senatorial District, the coordinator of the PDP Support Group (PSG) in the state, Bode Obanla, said the decision was made in good faith and not due to any rancor within the party, but particularly to ensure that his followers get their fair share of governance.

According to the party chieftain,  with his 15-year stint in the opposition, the strides of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu as well as the caliber of politicians representing the axis in the National Assembly cannot be overlooked.

“Contrary to insinuations, I and my team are not moving because we have been wronged by any of our leaders, the entire leadership, or shut out of the party. If anything, we held the ace. We were still able to decide, in conjunction with other stakeholders, on which side the PDP pendulum swung in the state. I have come to the conclusion that I must now come to the progressive fold, which is currently in power at every strata of government, if indeed I wish to contribute to the development of my people. I have been in the opposition here in the state for close to 15 years now.

“However, we have carefully studied the antecedents of the progressives, and we equally watched the activities of a born progressive who has paid his dues as a progressive, Ade Adetimehin, the state chairman. It is clear that our ethical leanings and political philosophy align. The Governor of our dear state, Arakurin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, “Mr. Talk and Do,” whose strength of character, open-mindedness, courage, and bluntness continue to leave me in awe.

“As an opposition politician then, I could not but commend the way “Aketi” handled the security threat that reared its ugly head in our state. His push for the creation of the Western Nigerian Security Network (Amotekun) and his ever-present and reverberating voice for the Yoruba race during the turbulent times all endeared him to me”

He further said “In my senatorial district, the two major political parties, APC and PDP, in the last general elections presented their best brains, business tycoons, well-exposed, educated, and lovers of their people, whose profundity confounds as senators of the federal Republic of Nigeria, Pastor Olajide Ipinsagba from Ikare Akoko and Akogun Adetokunbo Modupe from Owo (for whom I was the Director General of his campaign).

“I must state it here that Senator Jide Ipinshagba is a silent achiever with a fine touch of godliness and a philanthropist. His demeanor always betrays a man in love with the masses and ready to serve. As if my federal constituency, Akoko North East and West, had made a date with grace and special favor, the APC also returned for the second term, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, to the green chamber. The gods moulded him almost perfectly with the right medley of character and competency”.

He added that Presidency of Bola Tinubu, will be a breath of fresh and soothing air, stressing that he wanted to be part of the instrument of that succor.

At the latest defection of the party chieftains, the APC state chairman, Ade Adetimehin, said his party has grounded PDP.

But in a swift reaction, PDP said the APC chairman goofed, saying “a Chairman that used to be the butt of every joke within APC circle for serially losing his polling unit and electoral ward can have the audacity to say he has grounded the PDP in the state is laughable.”

In a statement by Kennedy Ikantu Peretei, state publicity secretary of the PDP,  the party said Adetimehin would have been correct if he had said his party had grounded the state in just six years that it has been at the saddle.

According to him, “Is Ondo State health sector not grounded under the APC-led government as doctors and nurses leave the state employment in droves? Has the APC government not grounded the free school shuttle buses that used to provide succour for students and their parents? Has the APC government not turned the hitherto clean streets of Akure into huge dump sites? Has the state capital that used to be lit up at night not become a ghost of its former self”.

Continuing, on March 13, 2023, PDP leaders in the state, consisting of former governorship aspirant and council chairman in Ilaje local government, Mr Banji Okunomo, former Chairman of Okitipupa local government, Mr Solomon Bitire, the Director General of the 2023 Presidential campaign council in Ilaje local government, Mr Jossy Ehinmore, former councillor, Mr Malo Olorunwa, and former Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, OSOPADEC commissioner, Mr Bisi Ilawole dumped the party for APC, citing party leadership crisis as their reason for resigning from the Party.

Interesting, a week before that time, some chieftains and leaders of the party, led by a former member of the state House of Assembly, Adeyinka Banso, left the PDP for the APC, citing leadership crisis for their movement.

Also, in 2020, former Deputy Governor of the  State, Agboola Ajayi moved from the APC to the PDP and later Zenith Labour Party within a spate of six weeks.

However, reacting to the defection, the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Kennedy  Peretei explained that in the last 18 months, same people have moved in and out of the PDP twice, which is a confirmation of their nomadic essence as politicians.

The party in a statement titled: “Ondo PDP Will Not Lose Sleep Over Serial Decampees”, noted that most of them who got promotions beyond their capacities by the PDP have consistently lost their polling units to other political parties during elections.

The release reads: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ondo State Chapter has received reports of some serial decampees leaving the party with equanimity. In the last 18 months, these same characters have moved in and out of the PDP twice, which is a confirmation of their nomadic essence as politicians. Most of them who got promotions beyond their capacities by the PDP have consistently lost their polling units to other political parties during elections.

“They have always been trailed by failure in their opportunistic and self-serving inordinate ambitions that drive their insatiable desire for crumbs from the master’s table”.

There  lare other many other instances of cross carpeting because those mentioned here are just a sample. The gale of defection, shows therefore, that the party appears to be plagued by internal wrangling and disaffection of some members which had led to increased defection of chieftains of the party to APC.

Political observers are concerned about the fate of the party and its chances in the 2024 governorship election in the state being the major opposition party in the country. Political watchers are also of the view that the  leadership of the party in the state headed by Mr Fatai Adams was not doing enough in repositioning PDP in the state to make it an attractive and viable opposition party capable to challenge the candidate of APC come 2024.