3, 250 Lagos PDP Members Defect To ACN

At least, 3, 250 members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP have defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Lagos, South West Nigeria. This may affect the chances of  PDP capturing Lagos State as President Goodluck Jonathan and other PDP stalwarts had claimed. Those who defected cut across 13 Local Governments in Lagos and were led by their leaders to the ACN.

At the ACN rally at the weekend, leaders of the decampees were allowed to introduce themselves while they said that the crisis that had rocked the PDP and lack of vision by party elders led to their defection. One of the decampees is former PDP leader in Lagos State, Chief Adeola Taiwo.  Others are former Deputy Chairman of the party, Princess Ademola Adedokun; former Chairman (South West), Chief Dare Owolabi and Chief Wale Mogaji.

ACN’s National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande had said that the decampees came from 13 Local Governments in Lagos State and asked the crowd at the rally to welcome them. According to one of the decampees, Mogaji, he and his supporters decided to quit PDP because of the transformation the ACN had brought in some states in the South West, saying that he personally led 3, 000 of his supporters to the ACN.

Mogaji specifically named Somolu and Mushin Local Government councils among other local governments, saying a huge number of PDP chieftains, members and supporters would still defect to ACN before the April polls. He stated that he had suffered maltreatment and marginalisation in the ruling party in the last few years, saying that was what necessitated his defection to the ACN.

Also, in Alimosho Local Government, 250 PDP members defected to the ACN at the weekend and were received by the Alimosho Chapter  of ACN. The decampees were received by ACN leaders in Alimosho, Hon Onaolapo Akinwale, Hon Wahab Ogunji, among others. The former PDP leaders who led their members to the ACN included Mrs. Toyin Anifowoshe from Ejigbo Local Council Development Area; Mr Omololu Odedeyi from Mosan Okunola LCDA and  Alice Ayorinde.

Addressing the crowd, Akinwale said: “What has happened to PDP in Alimosho is a signal that P.D.P is totally dead in the area and they have come to the end of the road where people can no longer be deceived by empty promises they have made to the people. “With all the developmental projects embarked upon by the State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, the ACN-led government is still the party to beat in Lagos State,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the decampees, Mr Odedeyi said their reason for leaving the PDP was as a result of the achievement of the ACN in Lagos, saying that the party had shown that it was truly progressive. The highlight of the rally was when they destroyed the umbrella which is the symbol of the PDP and the presentation of brooms and flags of the ACN to the new members.

The decampees then vowed to work for the progress of ACN in the coming general election.

By Kazeem Ugbodaga, Eromosele Ehbomele & Yisa Jamiu

Culled from PM NEws.