Amosun, an APC senator representing Ogun Central said he won’t stop any members of his camp from defecting to another party
The preferred candidate of former Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Adekunle Akinlade, Friday, officially joined the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to form an alliance with Ladi Adebutu, a governorship candidate of the PDP in the state.
Akinlade is said to be joining PDP to fly as the running mate of Adebutu in the Ogun 2023 governorship election.
It will be recalled that Akinlade, the governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, in the 2019 general election, had last week dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
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The former lawmaker cited lack of justice on the part of the National Leadership of the APC has basis for his resignation from the party.
Adebutu and PDP stakeholders in the state received Akinlade and some supporters of Amosun at a welcome ceremony held at the Ogun PDP Secretariat, IBB Boulverd, Magbon, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Akinlade and Adebutu on Friday, arrived the Party’s Secretariat at about 12.30pm amid wild jubilation by the party stakeholders and supporters.
Akinlade, it was gathered, had applied for waivers from the National Working Committee, NWC, to allow him contest the election with Adebutu.
Akinlade is expected lead troops of Amosun’s supporters in the state to the main opposition party.
Earlier, Amosun, a senator representing Ogun Central said he won’t stop any of his members of his camp from defecting to another party.
Similarly, Amosun blamed his stance on what he described as injustice in the ruling APC.
The former governor, however, warned that nobody should negotiate with his name or his political family.
Amosun also appealed to the supporters who wish to stay with him in APC, restating his commitment to the ambition of the presidential candidate of the APC Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Those expected to join Akinlade in the PDP include the former member of House of Representatives in Obafemi/Owode Federal Constituency, Mukaila Kassim; former Chairman of Ado-Odo Ota Local Government, Rotimi Ramoni; and former Deputy Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, Tola Banjo.
It was also gathered that a governorship aspirant on the platform of APC at the just concluded primaries, Biyi Otegbeye, is also expected to join the defecting team.
Last minutes efforts by some national leadership of the APC including the National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila to stop Akinlade’s defection to the PDP proved abortive, a report said.
During the 2019 election, Adebutu had supported Akinlade, following the adoption of Late Senator Buruji Kashamu as the candidate of the Party in Ogun State. Vanguard
