About 1,000 members from the opposition parties have joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the November 16th, 2024, governorship election in Ondo State.
BusinessDay reports that among those that defected were associates of former governor Olusegun Mimiko, former leaders of Labour in Ondo State and former candidates of the Labour Party in last year’s general elections.
The defectors were, Joseph Akinlaja, former Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly; Jumoke Akindele, a former Commissioner for Works and former running mate to Agboola Ajayi in the 2020 Governorship election; Gboye Adegbenro, former running mate to Eyitayo Jegede; Gboluga Ikengboju and Alaba Ojomo.
Others were Jide Adejuyigbe, Tunde Atere, Ebenezer Alabi, Ajani Oladipo, Funmilola Oluwadare, Solomon Adelegan, Femi Bosede, Yele Ogundipe, Dayo Akinte, Dapo Iwala, Femi Ofakunrin, Olumide Olugbebi, Omowumi George, Gbenga Aro, Rauf Ogunsola, Taiye Afilaka, Adetimehin Badeji Jacob, Felix Kehinde, Babatunde Sobande, Idowu Ogunmade and Olanrewaju Longe.
Former candidates of the LP that joined the APC were Oluwadare Timothy, Tayo Wole, Ibidomi Akinloroju and the entire structure of the LP in Okitipupa Local Government.
Akinlaja, who spoke on behalf of the defectors, said they moved to the APC to contribute their quota to the victory of Aiyedatiwa and the APC in the forthcoming Governorship election.
While Ade Adetimehin, the State APC chairman, said the the best materials in the PDP had joined the APC.
According to him, it was the beginning of good things to happen to Ondo APC.
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, who received defectors from all other political parties to APC, said that the defection would added more strength to the All Progressives Congress (APC)
