As expected, APC LG chairmen defect en masse to PDP in Kwara

In what appears a complete decimation, all 16 local government chairmen elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State have defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

This was disclosed by the Chairman of Oyun Local Government Area, Joshua Omokanye at a press briefing in Ilorin.

Omokanye, who is also the Chairman of Kwara chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, addressed the press briefing in the company of his colleagues in Ilorin.

According to him, their decision is not in conflict with Nigerian Constitution but actually supported by Section 109 (1) (g), adding that all political office holders at the local government level in the state also defected along with them.

These political office holders, Omokanye said included council vice chairmen, Speakers, LG secretaries, supervisory councillors, 193 elected councillors and other political appointees.

”It is our collective resolve to join the Peoples Democratic Party PDP as the worthy alternative platform to further our political careers and work for the advancement of the generality of our people. Since we are welcomed by the party, we have no doubt it wouldn’t be like the conglomeration of strange bedfellows that APC had been in the last four years.

“We have in the recent time experienced untoward developments within the political party we all claim to belong and loyal to. Precisely, it would be noted that All Progressives Congress APC is being controlled by a cabal who are hellbent in destroying its ever -rising acceptability before the populace.

Read also: DEFECTIONS: Okorocha offers explanations

“They have surreptitiously made it lose the compass of inclusiveness. It can today be said that APC is lacking internal democracy. It has sunk into an abysmal level of political decorum, regaling in civil misconduct and lagging behind in ethical standard, thereby impairing the growth of democratic culture in the political arena.

“It is, to many of us, disgusting to note that all what the cabal controlling the party is doing is to cater for the personal interest and marshal the ego of a few interest groups within the party.

“Noticeably, since the completion of Congresses and convention of APC, there has been flagrant disregard for decorum, disobedience and inconsistence in following party guidelines as well as subjugation of rules with impunity. These among others led to the emergence of a faction named rAPC within the party.

“It would be recalled that recently there was an attempt to unlawfully dissolve the state executive of the party in Kwara state by the national working committee. Aside, there have been long drawn unrelenting assaults on some personalities whose views differ at some points. All these are injurious to the tenets of democracy”, Omokanye said.

The defection of the LG chairmen and political office holders at the LG has signaled a complete decimation of the APC in Kwara State, as the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who was the leader of the party in state defected on Tuesday to PDP.

The state governor, Ahmed Abdufattah followed suit same day while 23 out of 24 members of the House of Assembly also dumped the APC for PDP on Wednesday.

The chairman of the PDP in the state, Iyiola Oyedepo however defected to the APC on Wednesday, claiming he cannot be in the same party with Saraki.

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now