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Tag: PDP for APC

  • Ex-Ondo Speaker, supporters dump PDP for APC

    A former Speaker in the old Ondo State House of Assembly and prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart in Ekiti State, Chief Femi Akinyemi, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Akinyemi joined the progressives at his Unit 001, Aafin Compound, Usi Ward, Usi-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area, alongside scores of his supporters.

    The former Speaker, who is an oil magnate, also served as the Chairman of Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) during the Segun Oni administration between 2007 and 2010.

    He declared support for the anti-corruption programme of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying: “The President’s zero tolerance for corruption is the precursor to restoring the country’s lost glory.”

    Akinyemi said Oni’s governorship ambition further stimulated his interest to join the APC.

    He said: “Well, it’s a matter of choice. I know somebody who I have worked with very closely; that is Segun Oni.

    “He (Oni) is planning a comeback and I see some genuineness about development in human and others in him. I feel I should join hands with him and give him some support.

    “I hardly criticide any government because we are all human. But I hope Segun Oni takes over from the incumbent so that the dividends of democracy will reach the commonest of the society.”

    APC Deputy Chairman, Mrs. Kemisola Olaleye, who received Akinyemi on behalf of the party’s State Chairman, Chief Olajide Awe, said the newcomers would be accorded same privilege as old members.

    She advised Akinyemi and his supporters to win more members and ensure the party’s victory in their wards and local government areas in this year’s governorship election.

    Ekiti North APC Senatorial Chairman Wale Aina hailed Akinyemi and his followers for joining the party.

  • Ex-lawmaker dumps PDP for APC

    Ex-lawmaker dumps PDP for APC

    A former Ondo State House of Assembly member, Afolabi Iwalewa yesterday dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Iwalewa, who represented Irele State constituency between 2011 and 2015, said he dumped PDP because its members do not believe in uplifting young ones.

    He said: “The emperor in the PDP is not happy when he sees a young star rising, he will make sure he suffocate the young star and frustrate him.”

    The former lawmaker accused governor Olusegun Mimiko of killing development in the South Senatorial district of the state.

    He lamented that the governor did not see anything good a library he built because of petitioners.

    “I built a library in Irele believing that the government will equip it and despite that it was commissione by the  governor it is very sad that Mimiko abandoned that library. The library has now become an abode for the insane,” he said.

    Iwalewa said Mimiko has also abandoned the bridge linking Irele with Ese Odo which was initiated by the late Governor Olusegun Agagu.

    He said the governor and the PDP did not love for the the southern district of the state.

    Iwalewa said he joined APC to win Irele for the party in the forthcoming governorship election..

    He said he has joined the party to work for its victory in the November 26 election.

    Welcoming the defectors APC  deputy chairman Ade Adetimehin said Iwalewa add value to the party.

    He said Iwalewa’s exit from PDP signalled the party’s death in Irele.

  • Scores dump PDP for APC in Ondo

    THE Ondo State All Progressives Congress (APC) has been described as a people-oriented party formed to develop the land and focused on uplifting the masses.

    Its Chairman, Isaac Kekemeke, said this while receiving over 350 members of “Like Minds” group led by a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Comrade Ibironke Lawrence, into the party.

    Kekemeke said how people would not go hungry and how youths would be gainfully employed and contribute to the country’s growth is paramount in the minds of the APC leadership.

    He stressed that the spade of developments could be noticed in other Southwest states like Ogun and Osun states, which are not as rich as Ondo State, but doing well in infrastructural growth and social welfare schemes.

    These, according to him, include feeding of school children in APC states.

    Ibironke saluted the courage of President Muhammadu Buhari for his fight against corruption.

    He said the President’s zero tolerance for corruption is the precursor to restoring the country’s lost glory.

    “Part of the reasons we left the PDP was that the PDP is a party that enforces its members to amass wealth without working, enjoys pleasure without conscience and most regrettably, practises politics without principle.

    “All these factors had contributed to the precarious situation we find ourselves in the country now.”

    He, therefore, called on patriotic Nigerians to support Buhari in his fight against corruption.

    After their declaration for the APC, he urged the party to give his members sense of belonging and recognition.

    Kekemeke assured the new members of “Like Minds” from Akure South Local Government that they were not late in coming to APC, urging them to put in their best into the party.

    He said members would be rewarded according to their deeds and contributions to the party’s growth, “and not how long they have been docile members”.

    Disturbed by the wide criticisms over the decision by the Akoko Elders Assembly(AEA) to zone the November 26 governorship slot to Ondo North,I ts Chairman, Chief Felix Ayegbusi, yesterday said the group has not deprived any aspirant from the four local government areas of Akoko Division from contesting the primary.

    There had been uproar over the report that the forum at its last week Thursday meeting held in Arigidi-Akoko residence of Ayegbusi purportedly zoned the governorship ticket to Akoko North.

    An aspirant and former Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, Victor Olabimtan and some members within the AEF, in a separate statement, faulted the elders’ resolution.

    They stressed that they were pushing for a sectional candidate.

    But Chief Ayegbusi told The Nation that the decision of the group was without sentiments.

    According to him, the idea to prune down the large number of aspirants started over two years ago.

    He noted that some of the aspirants that were against the zoning had earlier came to them to beg for the ticket.

    Ayegbusi, who explained that the APC state Executive Committee (SEC), led by Kekemeke, had no hands in their decision, added that it was a local arrangement agreed upon by the cultural, traditional and other stakeholders in Akokoland.

  • 11 Senators dump PDP for APC

    11 Senators dump PDP for APC

    Eleven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators tendered yesterday a letter of defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Senate President David Mark.

    Mark did not read the letter on the floor of the upper chamber.

    Although 16 names of senators are contained in the letter, only 11 of them endorsed the document.

    The defectors were led by Chairman, Senator Committee of Environment and Ecology, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central).

    The letter, dated 20th January, 2014, titled “Notification of change of political party”, addressed to Mark.

    The letter reads: “We the undersigned Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wish to notify you that we have severally and jointly joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “The action and decision is as a result of the division and factionalisation in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that sponsored our elections to the Senate.

    “In view of the above, we write to inform you that following the division and factionalisation in the PDP, we have formally joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “This communication is made pursuant to Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) for your information, guidance and record purposes.”

    Besides, Saraki, other defectors are: Senators Mohammed Shaaba Lafiagi (Kwara North), Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West), Abdullahi Gobir (Sokoto East), Senator Magnus Ngei Abe (Rivers South East), Senator Wilson Asinobi Ake (Rivers West) and Senator Bindowo Umaru Jibrilla (Adamawa North).

    The rest are: Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), Senator Alhassan Aisha Jummai (Taraba North), Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South)and Senator Umaru Dahiru (Sokoto South).

    Senators listed but who did not sign against their names are Senators Ahmed Mohammad Maccido (Sokoto North), Saidu Ahmed Alkali (Gombe North), Basheer Garba Mohammed (Kano Central), Ahmed Zanna (Borno Central) and Senator Ahmed Hassan Barata (Adamawa South).

    It was gathered that the move unsettled the Senate leadership.

    Insiders said an emergency PDP Senate caucus meeting scheduled last night must have been informed by defection.

    Mark is likely to read the letter today on the floor of the Senate.

    With this development, APC now has 43 senators. PDP, which had 73 senators, now has 63.

    Labour Party (LP) has two. The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has one.