The opposition in Ondo State caved in on Wednesday as a former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, Hon Kennedy Peretei, led other prominent politicians across party divides to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Notably, the PDP, which is the leading opposition party in the state, has been making robust criticisms of government policies and programmes, which have all along been putting the APC administration on its toes.
The decampees who moved enbloc under the banner of Nigeria Workstation, a Grassroots Media Advocacy, Research and Strategy Group, were former members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party, SDP and Action Alliance, AA,
Apart from Peretei, who resigned as the State Publicity Secretary of the PDP in April, 2025; the defectors include Chief (Mrs) Rachael Ajayi, the 2020 Deputy Governorship Candidate of the SDP.
Others include Hon. High Chief Olutope Adebambo, former Chairman of Akoko Northwest Local Government; Hon. Blessing Ologun, immediate past Assistant State Treasurer of the PDP; and Hon. Omotayo Obolo, aka Mitchel, former Special Assistant to former Governor Mimiko.
Speaking at the occasion, the Convener of Nigeria Workstation, Hon Kennedy Peretei, commended Governor Aiyedatiwa, who he described as “fantastic” in the build-up to the ceremony, saying: “We sincerely appreciate him.”
He also praised the Interior Minister Tunji-Ojo, who he described as “the Star Boy of the Tinubu administration… profoundly appreciated for providing a ‘Rock of Gibraltar’ kind of support for making today a reality.”
His words, “We wish to specially thank Engr. Ade Adetimehin and members of the State Executive Committee of the APC for opening their doors wide to accept us.”
On why he and his associates dumped their former parties, he drew references from the universally accepted definition of politics by Harold Laswell as “who gets what, when and how”, and another which saw it simply as ”Election and Government.”
Peretei said: “If you marry these two definitions, you will come to the realisation that, if you are in politics and not in government, you are just in a social club.
“I do not mean that Nigeria should be a one party State. But when the leadership of the opposition is not deliberate, coordinated and focused on how to win election and therefore form government, then, there will be no justification for being in opposition.
“It is against this background that today, those of us in the Nigeria Workstation, a Grassroots Media Advocacy, Research and Strategy Group, comprising former members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party, SDP and Action Alliance, AA decided to join forces with the progressive family.
“Also in this hall are harvests of Sunshine Grassroots Network, a group whose mandate is to clean up the remnants of the opposition and align them with the APC.”
He said that with the decamping of Nigeria Workstation members from their former parties into the ruling party, opposition was dead in the state.
According to him, “Recently, some opposition figures criticized President Bola Tinubu for trying to foist a single political party on Nigerians.
“His reply was very straightforward and simple. “It is not my business to organize the opposition”. Is there anything to add?
“Today, you have seen the faces of what was referred to as the last plank of opposition. Hence, from today, there is only one party in Ondo State, which is the APC.
“Perhaps from the grave yard, there may be one or two shrill sounds. Such don’t amount to much, they are mere echoes.
“The people present here represent a small fraction of our numerical strength as it is impossible to mobilise all our supporters to this City Hall.
“But we make bold to declare that the significance of today will be appreciated in the next round of elections in Ondo State
He added that there were harvests of Sunshine Grassroots Network, “whose mandate is to clean up the remnants of the opposition and align them with the APC.”
In his goodwill message delivered by Chief Olumuyiwa Asagunla, Interior Minister, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, urged the people of the state to unite and support the reelection bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Tunji Ojo, who, together with Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, facilitated the decamping, specifically thanked the President for the ongoing dualisation of the Ore-Akure Road; Ilesa – Akure – Benin dualisation; the Akure-Ado-Ekiti road dualisation; and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway which will pass through Ondo State.
He said that this infrastructural development and the various reforms being executed by President Tinubu “must be sustained beyond 2027.”
APC State Chairman, Engnr Ade Adetehin received the decampees on behalf of the party’s National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, and Governor Aiyedatiwa.
He welcomed them to his party which he said has room enough to accommodate all.
Adetimehin said President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda has positively touched the people of Ondo State. Therefore, he said there is the need to repay Mr President by giving him the needed support to continue his good work.
He assured the new members that they will have equal opportunities in the party.
