The crisis rocking the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party deepened on Sunday as the party’s former state Chairman, Hon. Sikirullahi Ogundele, alongside several other prominent members, defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The defection, which came barely five months to the 2027 governorship election, involved several notable PDP chieftains, particularly from the Ogun West Senatorial District.
Those who joined Ogundele in defecting to the APC included the former PDP Publicity Secretary in the state, Akinloye Bankole; former PDP Youth Leader, Oyejide Sukanmi; Omooba Segun Adewale; former local government chairman under the PDP, Hon. Titus Soji Eweje; Jinadu Hammed; State Women Leader, Kemi Adeyemi; Lisa Adejobi; former PDP Senatorial Candidate for Ogun West, Alhaji Ganiyu Dada Obanibashiri; and the ADC State Legal Adviser, among others.
The defectors were formally received into the APC by the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; the party’s governorship candidate in the state, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola; and the State APC Chairman, Chief Yemi Sanusi.
The reception was held in Ilaro, the headquarters of Yewa South Local Government Area of the state.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Ogundele declared that the PDP had “collapsed”, adding that the party’s umbrella had been torn into pieces.
The former PDP chairman likened the situation in the opposition party to a burning house, saying no right-thinking person would remain in a building engulfed by fire and allow himself to be consumed.
He said the movement of several governors and prominent politicians away from the PDP was evidence of the deep crisis within the party.
Ogundele added that it would amount to political suicide for leaders such as himself and others to remain in the party despite the challenges confronting it.
Addressing the controversy over the indigeneship of the APC governorship candidate, Adeola, Ogundele dismissed the allegations questioning his Ogun roots as a recurring feature of governorship contests in the state.
He urged APC supporters to disregard claims questioning Adeola’s connection to Ogun State, arguing that similar allegations had been made against some past governors of the state.
According to him, allegations were previously made against former governors Olusegun Osoba, Gbenga Daniel and Ibikunle Amosun during their respective governorship contests.
“They said Amosun is from Benin Republic, Daniel from Delta State, Osoba from Osogbo. Despite that, they all emerged as governors of the state. So, what is going on against Yayi now is an indication that he will also win,” Ogundele said.
He consequently urged party supporters to disregard the claims concerning the indigeneship of Adeola, popularly known as Yayi.
Receiving the defectors, the Ogun State APC Chairman, Sanusi, said the calibre of PDP leaders who had joined the ruling party was an indication that the opposition was in disarray.
Sanusi urged other opposition members to join the APC at their respective ward levels, saying they would have the opportunity to witness the development taking place across the state.
