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Hundreds of chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party and their supporters across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State have defected to the ruling All Progressive Congress.
This is just as another chieftain of the party, Senate Anyim Pius Anyim is now believed to have perfected plans to join the former governor of his State, Ebonyi, Senator David Umahu in APC.
Anyim was reported to have met the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje, at his residence in Abuja.
It was gathered that the recent defectors in Ondo State included former vice chairmen of the 18 local governments and 203 councillors across the 18 council areas.
They left their former party under the auspices of the Ondo Forum of Vice Chairmen and Councillors.
At the defection ceremony held at the Secretariat of the APC, in Akure, the state capital, on Tuesday, the Coordinator of the forum, Mr Oyeyinka Akosile, explained that they had patiently waited in the opposition party for too long before deciding to join the APC due to the exceptional leadership of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
Akosile who wished the governor a quick recovery, commended Akeredolu for running an all-inclusive government, which transcended party affiliations.
“We would work tirelessly to make the APC a much stronger party together,” the defectors’ leader promised.
Welcoming the defectors to the party, the Ondo State APC chairman, Mr Ade Adetimehin, expressed his appreciation to the grassroots politicians for choosing the APC as their new political home. He encouraged them to be exemplary leaders at their various wards in the state, emphasising that the party belongs to everyone.
Adetimehin assured the defectors that they would not regret their decision, especially considering the widespread admiration the party enjoys at both the state and national levels.
The chairman said, “I want to appeal to you to actively promote the achievements of Governor Akeredolu within your respective constituencies. We don’t discriminate in APC, all of us are brothers and sisters in one big family. You are welcome”
Some key members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, appear set to dump the opposition party.
Many members of the party are said to be ready to accept appointments from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who promised a government of national unity.
Ever since the PDP lost the 2023 presidential election to President Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the party has been making efforts to recuse itself from implosion.
The immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike is already on his way out of the party, having accepted a ministerial slot from th Tinubu administration. Wike has been screened by the Senate.
Anyim, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, had discussions with Ganduje, but the outcome of the meeting is unknown.
However, sources say Anyim is likely on his way to the ruling party.
During the last general election, the Senator, who is a key member of the PDP, dumped his party’s guber candidate in Ebonyi, Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii for the APC candidate, now Governor Francis Nwifuru.
It is unclear whether he supported the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar during the presidential election.
A few weeks earlier, Anyim also had met with President Bola Tinubu at Aso Rock early July, a sign many interpreted as a plot to cross over to the ruling APC.
The former Senate President, told reporters after meeting with Tinubu that “It was a great honour to pay courtesy to the President and congratulate him, first and foremost, for his successful inauguration as the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and also to encourage and congratulate him for the bold decisions he has taken so far.”
Meanwhile, PDP leaders held another meeting over the weekend, but has remained silent on any disciplinary measure against members of the party leaning towards the APC.
Atiku tweeted after the meeting: “Earlier today, I joined other leaders and stakeholders of our esteemed party, @OfficialPDPNig, including my Vice Presidential candidate, Dr @IAOkowa, Governors, and members of the PDP NWC.
“This meeting provided an opportunity for us to examine the current state of our nation carefully and to thoughtfully articulate a pathway forward from the critical crossroads at which we presently find ourselves.
