The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ondo State chapter, has been further depleted following the defection of hundreds of its members across the state’s 18 local government areas to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday.
According to the decampees, who are mostly members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, they were fed up with the happenings within the PDP, hence their decision to join the APC and work for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Upon receiving the decampees at the APC Secretariat in Akure, the state chairman of the APC, Ade Adetimehin, urged them to return to their wards and begin working for the president’s re-election.
Adetimehin stated that the ruling party had no opposition in the state, adding that Tinubu’s performance in the state has been attracting more people to the party.
He said, “I want to welcome you to our great party; this is the party of victory. In APC, we don’t discriminate; there are no old members, and there are no new members. We are all equal; that is why we are winning every day.
“Also, I want you to go back to your respective wards and local governments, to go and work. Your capacity at the party will determine your reward in APC. We give everyone equal opportunities. You are welcome.
“President Tinubu has done well for us in this state. We can all see what he is doing. His Renewed Hope Initiative is favouring us. We have our people being given appointments, and work has begun on the construction of new roads in Ondo State, so we must work hard to give him a landslide victory here.”
The leader of the defectors, under the auspices of the Asiwaju Transport Movement, Mr Ojo Adewole, said their defection was informed by President Tinubu’s performance in the state, particularly in road rehabilitation and construction.
Adewole said their defection was inspired by the Minister for Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, whom he described as a true leader.
He said, “We were being encouraged to come to the APC by our minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. We thank him for the opportunity given to us and will not disappoint him or the party.
“What we saw is that the road projects that were started by the immediate past administration of the late Muhammadu Buhari – we thought the project would be abandoned, but President Bola Tinubu said the project should continue.
“We are NURTW members; we know the importance of good roads. This is part of what President Bola Tinubu is doing in this state. The dualisation of the Benin-Ilesa highway. The Ore-Ondo-Akure road expansion is ongoing. This makes our work easier, as seen on the Akure-Ado Ekiti motorway and others.
“Also, the coastal highway is ongoing. We are delighted with all of this; that is part of the reason we joined to support President Tinubu for a second term.”
