The spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos State, Alhaji Hakeem Amode, has dumped the main opposition party for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Amode, along with other PDP chieftains, announced the defection at a news conference on Monday in Ikeja.
Speaking, Amode said he and other defectors were motivated and inspired by the visionary leadership of the 2023 state PDP governorship candidate, Dr Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor), who had earlier moved to APC.
“It is with great honour and a profound sense of responsibility that we stand before you today to announce a pivotal decision; one that marks a significant turning point not just for us as individuals, but for many committed political stakeholders who have journeyed with us over the years.
“Today, we have decided to collapse the entire PDP structure in Lagos State, from ward to the state level , to align with His Excellency Jandor to decamp en-masse to the APC.
“The PDP, both at the national and state level, has lost its way. The party has deviated from the founding ideals that once made it the largest and most respected political platform in Africa.
“Today, its future is riddled with tension and uncertainty. The PDP is in a coma and may not survive unless urgent measures are taken,” Amode said.
According to him, the tenure of the defectors within the PDP had been lengthy and eventful, characterised by both achievements and setbacks.He said that majority of the defectors had the privilege of serving PDP in various capacities, worked for change and did their best for their former party.
He said: “However, after thorough introspection and extensive consultation, we believe it is time to chart a new course.
“This decision has not been made lightly. It reflects our commitment to taking control of our political destinies in order to better serve our people and the loyal supporters who continue to stand by us.
”Amode said that PDP in Lagos, under the leadership of Mr Philip Aivoji, had been fractured and disunited.
“Poor leadership and a lack of cohesion have cost us dearly.“Today, we, alongside several former PDP candidates at various levels, national, local government executives, ward leaders, and key stakeholders across Lagos, formally resign from the PDP and align ourselves with the APC.
“We have submitted our letters of resignation to our respective ward chairmen, local government chairmen, and the state leadership of the PDP.”Amode, who noted that the decision to leave PDP was driven by personal ambition, said it was in the best interest of the defectors.
“We are determined to work with our new partners in the APC to deliver the true dividends of democracy to every corner of our great state.
”Speaking, Alhaja Safurat Abdulkareem, a two-time state pdp deputy governorship candidate, said that the defectors were determined to follow the progressives to make the state better.
Also speaking, a former State PDP deputy chairman, Chief Ola Apena, said PDP had no relevance in the state anymore.“PDP is dead. There is no more PDP. The party is in complete limbo and we don’t know whether it will be up,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of 2023 PDP State House of Assembly candidates, Mr Ibrahim Balogun, who flew the party’s flag in Kosofe, said he wasted time by staying in PDP for 18 years.
“We will work for Tinubu in 2027. We are going en masse into APC. Jandor is a visionary leader to follow because he is a man of the people,” Balogun said.
Speaking, Adediran, who congratulated the defectors, said, “We have successfully collapsed the entire structure of the PDP into APC now.“There is no point in belonging into a political party that has no determination and purpose of winning elections. PDP is a social club, not interested in winning.
“Lagos State PDP leadership has ensured that the party does not win and the party had been doing this for over two decades now, wasting people’s destiny.
“I congratulate these PDP leaders for joining me in APC. PDP is a sinking ship. In Nigeria of today, there is no other viable platform apart from APC,” Adediran said.
Other PDP leaders, who dumped the party for APC included Prince Rufus Adeniyi, a former PDP Assistant State Organising Secretary (Lagos West) and Mr Jerry Afemikhe (Olori Odo), a former PDP House of Representatives candidate in Surulere Constituency I.Some 2023 PDP Lagos State House of Assembly candidates who dumped the party included Messrs Keshinro Abiodun (Epe 1); Akeem Jinadu, (Eti-Osa 1); Ibrahim Balogun (Kosofe 2).Messrs Taofeek Obanikoro (Lagos Island 1); Tunde Pratt (Lagos Mainland 2); Saheed Aregbesola (Oshodi-Isolo State 2); Sulaimon Thompson (Surulere 1) and Taofeek Kuye ( Ajeromi-Ifelodun State 1) also dumped PDP for APC.Mr Adeyemi Kazeem, former PDP Chairman, Ojo Local Government; Pastor Gbenga Ogunleye, media aide to the 2023 Lagos PDP governorship candidate were also among those who defected.
