By DAUD OLATUNJI

The ancient city of Abeokuta,the Ogun State  capital became a Mecca of sort recently  when  the Peoples Democratic Party in the state held a Stakeholders/ Unity rally at the State Secretariat  where  over 15,000 people drawn from the 20 local government  areas of the state abandoned their former parties for the PDP.

What was spectacular about the  PDP rally  was the defection of former deputy governor to Chief Olusegun Osoba in the third republic Chief  Rafiu Ogunleye who led 15,000 members of All Progressives Congress, All Nigeria Peoples  Party   and the Labour  Party to join the PDP. This development,  according to findings, is part of the determination of  the  PDP to reclaim its grip on the state it lost to the former Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN in 2011.

Among the party  chieftains who attended the rally were former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu , PDP National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo,  Chairman of the South West PDP Organization and Mobilization Committee, Prince Buruji Kashamu former South West  caretaker Chairman, Isola Filani; acting Chairman, South West Caretaker Committee, Deji Doherty; National Auditor, Alhaji fatai Adeyanju , Chief Remi Adiukwu; chairmen of PDP in Oyo and Osun states, Alhaji Yinka Taiwo and Alhaji Ganiu Olaoluwa, respectively; Secretary , Presidential Advisory Committee, Chief Richard Lamai.among others.

Coming election

The PDP did not fail to use the rally to announce its readiness to take over the State from  the ruling APC in the coming election. It would be recalled that, the party had been embroiled in  internal wrangling which led to its division into two factions before it was recently resolved in the favour of the Kashamu-supported exco against the faction loyal to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Since the crisis was resolved,  the state executive has been reaching out to other members of the party in the other faction with a view to coming together and fight the common ‘enemies’ – All Progressives Congress and the Labour Party.

Explaining how the PDP became  attractive to Ogunleye and 15,000 others from   the APC and LP in the state, Kashamu said:

“Today is a great day in the history of Ogun State. It is a great day because  never in the history of party politics has a party not in government  caught “a big fish” in the calibre of a former Deputy Governor, produced on the platform of the party in government, joining its  fold as in this case. It is particularly note worthy that he is not  coming alone.”

Ogunleye,  while explaining the reason for his action said  he and his supporters quit the APC because of the alleged domineering posture of the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. He said that he and his supporters became fed up with the APC as many of  them were allegedly sidelined in the scheme of things during  the July 21, 2012 Council polls held in the state.

According to him, my group  began to notice some unfavourable events unfolding  in the APC despite also the fact that we were part of the   founding members.

“I say with all sense of modesty and responsibility that the Imole Group  members were responsible for the larger per centage of successes recorded  by the ACN in the 2011 general elections. What became our lot after  installing the government in the state? The answer is an open secret  that resulted in our being here today,” he said.

Also, at the occassion which became  the talk of the town, Mantu described the PDP as the only party in the country  observing real democratic tenets.

“PDP remains  the only hope of Nigerians. Whatever is wrong with the PDP, we have  people like Kashamu who are determined to correct all the ills of the  PDP; who are determined to restore democracy to the people, who are  determined to ensure that votes count”, Mantu said.

Reacting to the development, the Ogun APC denied  that Ogunleye was ever a member of the party. The state Publicity Secretary, Sola Lawal described Ogunleye as a retired politician

“He was a retired and tired politician. There was nothing like defection,  but, joining the PDP.

“His joining the PDP will never affect our party victory.  The ACN  single handedly defeated the PDP in 2011, is it the time when we have  three parties coming together as a party that we will be afraid of the PDP.