Hundreds of members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akure, the Ondo State capital, defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

According to the decampees, the lack of internal democracy within the APC as well as hunger and hardship in the state were the reasons they moved to the PDP.

The defectors, who include leadership and members of the party from wards and local government level, include the APC Ward 8 leader, Deborah Owosusi, Ademola Ayonijebu, Mayowa Boboye, Oloro Alejo, and Azeez Ibrahim, who led the Ebira community to drum up support for the governorship candidate of the PDP, Agboola Ajayi.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, the APC organising secretary in Akure South, Akinwande Fayinminu, said the unending deceit and deception within the APC has not only continued to cause more harm to their personal development as politicians but is also dangerous for the entrenchment of internal democracy within a political party.

He said: “The APC lacks internal democracy; that is why they are factionalized; since they came to power, they have not integrated many members of the party. They are operating the party like an occultic group. We can’t stay at such a party any longer.”

The party’s governorship candidate, Ajayi, noted that there is a lot of suffering, hunger, and anger in the land over the maladministration of the APC-led government in the state.

Ajayi, however, said his administration, if voted into power, is ready to provide the people of the state with a better alternative, saying the PDP is ready to reposition the state.

He said, “We are working very hard to regain the state, and we need to be strategic about it in order to emerge victorious in the November 2024 election because the people of the state are looking up to us.

“As new members, I assure you of all rights accrued to the rest of our members. We will ensure that you benefit from every opportunity regarding the welfare of members without sentiments.”

On his part, the PDP chairman in the state, Tola Alabere, said the umbrella of the PDP is wide enough to accommodate more new members, ensuring the defectors will be treated equally with other members of the PDP.

He assured that the party and its candidate will work towards accelerated development in the state if elected in the November 2024 governorship election.

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