Hundreds of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), at the weekend, defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State ahead of the forthcoming November 16 governorship election in the state.

While leading the defectors to the opposition party, a chieftain of the APC in the area, Alhaji Yusuf Abdulateef, disclosed that their decision to dump the ruling party was hinged on bad leadership and governance allegedly inflicted on the state and the country by the party.

Abdulateef, who described their movement from APC as freedom from bondage, pledged to work for the victory of the PDP governorship candidate, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, and assured that more APC members in the local government would join the party before the election.

According to him, he moved into the PDP with all his supporters across Odigbo local government, numbering over five thousand, to join forces with the PDP members to deliver the state from the bad governance, which has been breeding hunger, hardship, poverty, and a lack of democratic principles and reward systems.

He said: “They tried to bend us to stay in their party, offering millions of naira in the last few days, but I resisted them because I am for the masses, and the masses are suffering the effects of bad governance in Ondo State.

“What is the essence of me taking their money and all my supporters? Because thousands of them continue to live in poverty and hunger. I won’t go in such a direction. We believe Agboola Ajayi has the experience and the credentials to redirect the ship of Ondo State to prosperity. That’s why we decided to join him in the PDP so that together we can liberate Ondo State.”

Abdulateef, who anchored the campaign drive of Senator Jimoh Ibrahim for Senate in Ondo South Senatorial District, which the APC won, stated that his arrival into the PDP with his followers will unseat Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Also, a group within the APC known as ‘Iya Ikale’ that expressed displeasure at the reward system of the party also collapsed into the PDP.

“APC don’t take care of their party members and citizens in Ondo State; we can no longer stay in their party, as from today we have decided to join the PDP,” said the leader of the group, Mrs. Akinmoye.

While receiving the defectors from the PDP, the chairman of the Campaign Council, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, assured them that they would not regret their action, stressing that the PDP would never disappoint them or cut short their expectations.

Olafeso equally announced Abdulateef as the Chairman, Mobilisation, Ondo South Senatorial District of the Campaign Council.

Similarly, APC members in the Ajue community were received into the PDP fold by the Director General of the campaign council, Hon. Clement Faboyede, who enjoined them to be steadfast in the party, stressing that the PDP reward system does not recognise “maybe you are a new or old member, but your work will earn you your reward in the party.”