By Emmanuel Oladesu and Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado-Ekiti
Lagos businessman and former governorship candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP) in Lagos State Babatunde Gbadamosi has returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He called for unity and harmony, stressing that the opposition party get back power if it put its house in order.
Gbadamosi, a native of Ikorodu, and grandson of legendary Action Group (AG) stalwart Alhaji Sule Gbadamosi spoke at the party secretariat at a ceremony marking his return.
He said one the reasons he returned to PDP was to support members to build a united partyto win elections.
“My job is to build a winning team that cannot be usurped by those people for their advantage. PDP is disturbed by APC’s inability to provide infrastructures.We are also disturbed about the pipeline explosion at Abule Ado, and symphatise with bereaved families,” he added.
Party Chairman Adedeji Doherty expressed shock at ‘the state’s soaring debt profile’. He said something should be done to prevent the state from going bankrupt.
Doherty urged Gbadamosi and his supporters to team up with other PDP members to build the party as a credible alternative to All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said Lagosians were tired of APC, following its failure to fulfil its promises.
The party chair described Gbadamosi as an advantage for PDP, saying he was dogged and committed.
He said: “Gbadamosi is dogged and committed. He has come early enough to join PDP to strategise for the 2023 elections. We shall do our work; we will burn candles and sell our party to the people. That is one of the reasons Gbadamosi has come to join us.”
Former APC National Deputy Chairman (South) Segun Oni is set to dump the party for PDP.
The ex-Ekiti State governor addressed reporters via telephone yesterday. He said his decision to dump APC was in the best interest of his political family, who he said had been marginalised.
Oni said he was treated with disdain as a former deputy national chairman. He alleged his suspension was never attended to by the party’s leadership.
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He said he was discussing with critical stakeholders in Ekiti PDP like ex-Governor Ayodele Fayose and Senator Biodun Olujimi, about his resolve to return to PDP.
Oni added that in weeks, he would be received back into Ekiti PDP with his supporters.
He said he decided to return to PDP to accede to the request of his people who were desirous of taking the political step.
He said: “It is true that I am leaving APC for PDP. You all knew the kind of treatment I have been getting. As we speak, none of my supporters was given appointment or allowed to contest elections in APC.
“If APC gives me the whole world, I won’t be happy seeing an integral part of my political family, my supporters, being treated badly. Is that how to run a party? You leave out some people when you are giving out appointments because they belong to the Segun Oni political family?”
“When I was the deputy national chairman, some of them said they suspended me from the party. Till now, the issues surrounding the suspension have not been attended to. We have to fight against the tyranny of the minority within the party. How can some people, who are not even party exco at the ward level, suspend a party leader?
“We have taken a decision and we are at the process of joining the PDP. We will raise an implementation committee to work on our programme of actions. I am not that politician who rushes at things; we can’t just go back that way; there must be proper planning.
“Those who took the action were my supporters across all the local governments and 177 wards, who felt bad about the situation. But the major thing is that we are moving; we have taken a decision to go back and on that we are working on.”
Oni joined the APC from PDP ahead of the 2014 governorship election.
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