The Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State has lost some members to the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
The defecting former PDP members in Ayedire Local Government Area of the state announced their movement to their new party on Tuesday.
ADC is a coalition of prominent politicians including ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar; the 2023 Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi; former Senate President David Mark; former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola; ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El Rufai; and former River State governor Rotimi Amaechi seeking to dislodge President Bola Tinubu from power in the 2027 election.
Led by Tunji Ogunrinu, the defectors were received into the ADC by officials of Omoluabi Progressives, a political organisation backed by the National Secretary of the party, Mr Rauf Aregbesola.
The party’s Publicity and Organising Secretary of the Omoluabi Progressives, Oluwaseun Abosede, said on a statement in Osogbo, that Ogunrinu explained that the decision to part ways with the PDP was borne out of the alleged failure to reward loyal party members.
“The decision to part ways with the PDP was not taken lightly but was borne out of dissatisfaction with poor internal management of the ruling party and the failure to reward loyalty among its members,” Ogunrinu said.
Another defector, Abdulganiyu Akeem, while speaking on behalf of other ex-PDP members, said, “People of Osun deserve better governance. It is time for citizens to ‘arise and shine,’ rather than continue with suffering and smiling.”
A former member of the Osun State House of Assembly representing Ayedire State Constituency, Gbenga Ogunkanmi, who facilitated the defection, described the defectors as political heavyweights and grassroots mobilisers, who would add value to ADC in the state.
In his remarks, the chairman of the Omoluabi Progressives, Azeez Adesiji, assured the defectors of full integration into ADC’s structures.
Contacted for reaction, Osun PDP spokesperson, Oladele Bamiji, said the defectors were not known to the ruling party in the state.
Bamiji, who said genuine members of PDP who felt aggrieved knew how to get redress, stressed that those who dumped the party were unknown to the leadership of the ruling party in the state.
He said, “We don’t know those who defected. They are unknown to us. Genuine party members know how to address their grievances.
“PDP remains a strong party with solid grassroots presence across the state. We don’t know the defectors. We don’t know those who left.”
