Daramola Returns to APC After 12 Months in SDP

Daramola

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

A member of the Seventh National Assembly, Mr Bimbo Daramola has finally returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC) almost one year after he defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Daramola, who then represented the Ekiti North Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, left the APC for the SDP during the buildup to the 2022 governorship election in Ekiti State over alleged injustice done to the party’s governorship aspirants.

Daramola, fondly called congressman by his political allies and supporters across the state, returned to the APC with hundreds of his followers that gathered at the APC Ire ward II to usher in the former lawmaker.

At Daramola’s reception, the Chairman of Ekiti APC, Mr Paul Omotosho, in his remarks, after admitting the former lawmaker back to the party, extolled Bimbo’s virtues as one of the founding fathers of the APC.

He said the party deemed it fit to woo Daramola back to its fold as his absence meant a lot to the party considering his sacrifice to the growth of the party in the past.

The Chairman of APC Ire ward II, Dipo Bejide had earlier welcomed Daramola Back to the APC, noting that he had been a pillar of support to the Progressive party.

Also at the reception, Daramola expressed happiness over his return to the party, adding that he had put all his grievances behind him.

He explained that even as a member of another party, he facilitated federal jobs for two sons of Ire Ekiti from the two wards of APC and pledged to do more if opportunities opened.

Daramola acknowledged the steps taken by leaders of the party, particularly the incumbent governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, and the Senate leader, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele, to see his return to the party.

He promised to continue to work for the progress of the party and that would be willing to offer his services for the growth of the state and the Nation at large.

He said: “I am happy to be back in the APC after a few months of being away due to some reasons in the past that I am very emotional about. I left the APC some months ago because of people who did not want me to breathe.

“Now that those people are out of the way, I feel I am now comfortable and the new governor, Oyebanji has earned my support, among other reasons for returning to the party.

“For the past eight years, I did not drink a cup of water in APC. I left the parliament in 2015, but we were undeterred and now you can see a whole lot of people who trooped out to follow me back to the party.

“I am ready to add value and improve the lives of our people now that I am back to the party, we laboured to form and build,” the former federal lawmaker said.