…Says party leadership lost focus, vision

By Dayo Johnson , Akure

A former lawmaker, Adeyinka Banso, of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo state, has led other chieftains of the party to defect to the ruling All Progress Congress.

Banso, lamented that the PDP leadership in the state has lost focus and vision.

Those that defected alongside the former member of the state House of Assembly, include, former council chairman , Dele Fagoriola, Charles Adedare, Femi Akinwehinmi and Onibalusi Boro.

They were received by the state party chairman , Ade Adetimehin, in Akure, the state capital .

Banso, said that the moment PDP picked a presidential candidate from the northern extraction, they decided to drop the party because it was a breach of agreement.

Banso said: “We are here to declare our unreserved and total commitment to APC. We declare total loyalty to our party leader, our governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and our party Chairman, the Jagaban of Ondo politics, Engr. Ade Adetimehin.

“Our quest to drop visionlessness informed our defection to the progressive party.

“If I stay in PDP, I won’t get the opportunity to represent my people to do what will be beneficial to them.

Joining APC, I can heave a sigh of relief.

“The moment my party picked a candidate from the northern extraction,because it’s a breach of agreement to me, this is not fair. I started thinking of moving to APC.”

Responding, the state chairman of the party, Ade Adetimehin, said that the chieftains were strong members of PDP giving his party a run for its money at every election.

Adetimehin, assured the defectors of equal treatment in the party, saying they were all entitled to goodies available in the party.

 “I am the most happy man today. These are shakers and movers of Ondo politics.

“Politics is about grassroots, these gladiators are grassroots politicians popular among their people

“These are men who usually gave us tough time in the various units, wards and constituencies during the elections.

They are going to add value to our party a great deal.

“With their defection, we are sure of winning the Assembly election in their various units, wards and constituencies.”

Adetimehin stated that with the new defectors, the remaining strong chieftains of PDP would be drawn to APC before the end of the year.

He said: “We are happy to receive the new decampees from the PDP. With these brothers coming, we have set the ball rolling. Before the end of this year, we are going receive all leaders of PDP into our party. There will be no PDP again. Ondo State shall become a full-time APC state.