10,000 Accord Party members decamp to PDP in Oyo

The leadership of the People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) in the South West led by the PDP South-West Chairman, Kamorudeen Ajisafe received no fewer than 10,000 decampees from the Accord Party in the Oyo North Senatorial District at the weekend .

Led by a former House of Representatives member , Hon Shina Peller , the decampees came from the 13 local government areas in Oke Ogun region of Oyo state.

The cross carpeting which observers said was as a result of party realignments ahead of 2027 election in the state , saw a mammoth crowd of politicians across the state converged on the Ojude Oba Ground , in Iseyi , Oyo state .

Iseyin-born politician, socialite and business man, Hon Peller reiterated that the party had no doubt valued his personality and everything around him, and that as main factor triggered his movement to the party.

Aside that, he also attributed his decision to defect to the party because of the exemplary leadership quality of Makinde and party’s firm adherence to the tenets of modern democracy.

Hon. Peller contested for the Oyo North Senatorial District in 2023 general election under the Accord Party ( AP) but lost to the All Progressive Congress ( APC) candidate , Senator Fatai Buhari in a controversial circumstances .

Scores of leaders of People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) in the 33 Local Government Areas of Oyo state were present, including the 33 party chairmen and the governorship candidate of the PDP in Lagos state in the 2023 election , Dr Olajide Adediran a.k.a. Jandor.

Hon . Peller who received accolades from thousands of party faithfuls at the Ojude Oba open space, in front of the Aseyi of Iseyi’s Palace was officially received by the state Governor, Seyi Makinde .

The governor was represented by his deputy, Barrister Bayo Lawal.

He said, “When I wanted to contest Senatorial poll in APC, they said we are too small, but I thank God, today we are in right party, a big party. If you look at Nigeria today, we are so endowed, but lack of leadership is our problem. Nigeria is endowed both human and natural resources but these resources have failed to translate into reality. So, there is no leadership when there is no leader.
Seyi is a visionary leader, that’s why I joined the party.

“I have seen the reason to align with the vision of Makinde. There is no leadership when there is no vision. And we have seen good work Makinde has done in this zone, Oke-Ogun. It has never happened in the history of Oyo North Senatorial District. From Moniya to Iseyin; Oyo to Iseyin; Ogbomoso to Iseyin and so on. It has never happened before. So, if you have a visionary leader like him, you have to support him. That’s why we have decided to join Governor Makinde and PDP to move the state forward.

“It is good to go to where you are valued. PDP has shown that they value us. Our father has been clamouring for tertiary institution for the past 70 years, Makinde gave us university. What of infrastructural facilities? He gave us. So, I want to announce that thousands of Accord Party members in the 13 Local Governments made up of Oyo North Senatorial district are here. They are here to join PDP. Wards Chairmen; Local Government Chairmen; women leader; and also Senatorial district chairmen are all here to defect to the ruling PDP because of the visionary leader . I want to appeal to other political parties to join us to move the state forward, and I pray that we will not regret it.

“Some people came and asked: Why do I want to join PDP? And I said, I need power to move forward, I need power to progress, that’s why I joined PDP”, he stressed.

Makinde, while handing over the flag of PDP to Peller, said, “You will not regret joining the PDP. Now that Peller has joined this party, we must not hear another party in Iseyin in particular, and in Oke Ogun in general.

“I want to advice our PDP executives in local governments to cooperate with them. The ward chairmen, Local Government Chairmen of our PDP should give them chance to operate. You should accommodate them because the Local Government election is fast approaching, so we should all join hands together to make sure that we clear all the 33 Local Governments in the state,” he said .

Dignitaries present at the event include the PDP South-West Chairman, Kamorudeen Ajisafe; the Lagos State PDP Governorship candidate in 2023, Olajide Adediran (Jandor); former Minister of Power and Steel, Wole Oyelese; former Oyo State PDP Chairman, Kunmi Mustafa; current member of the House of Representatives, representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Iwajowa/Kajola Federal Constituency in Oyo State, Abayomi Oyedeji; former Chief of Staff to late former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, Saka Balogun; Nureni Akanbi; Senator Gbenga Babalola; Ahmed Gbadamosi; Gbadebo Adetoro; Ali Oyedeji; the Special Adviser to Governor Makinde on Federal Constituency Matters, Dare Adeleke and a host of others.