By Daud Olatunji

ABEOKUTA—A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party and a former House of Representatives member, Abiodun Akinlade, yesterday said the party would reclaim Ogun State from the grip of All Progressives Congress, APC,in the 2019 elections.

Akinlade, who served at the lower chamber of the National Assembly between 2003 and 2015, spoke during the inauguration of a block of three classrooms at St. Paul’s Anglican Primary School, Owode-Yewa, held to mark his 49th birthday.

The former lawmaker, who also empowered 500 people across his Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency with agro-processing machines said the PDP was in the process of rebranding and would soon stage a big comeback in the nation’s polity.

Also speaking, the PDP National Auditor, Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju predicted that many of the party’s former chieftains, who defected to APC would return to the fold in the run-up to 2019.

Adeyanju said the doors of PDP remained wide open for defectors, adding that “We are in talks with APC members because, in their party, there is no seat there proverbially.”

The ceremony attracted notable party chieftains, including the PDP National Auditor, Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju; state chairman, Chief Adebayo Dayo; former governorship candidate, Prince Gboyega Isiaka; Minority Leader of the state House of Assembly, Wale Alausa; Senator Kola Bajomo; Chief (Mrs) Iyabo Apampa; and Comrade Niyi Osoba.

In his remarks, Akinlade promised to continue to contribute  his quota towards national development notwithstanding being out of political office.