The ruling All Progressives Congress in Osun State on Thursday suffered another blow as a member of the House of Assembly from Ila Constituency, Mr Clement Akanni, defected from the party to the Peoples Democratic Party.
Akanni, who is the lawmaker representing Ila Orangun, the home town of the former Interim Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande, announced his defection at a ceremony held in front of the palace of the Orangun of Ila, Oba Abdulwahab Oyedotun.
The lawmaker dumped the party just as one of the aides of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who is the Chairman, Osun State Local Government Service Commission, Peter Babalola, resigned his appointment.
Babalola, who was one of the governorship aspirants of the APC, was the Chief of Staff to Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, when he was the governor of the state but he defected to the APC immediately after Oyinlola was sacked from office.
Babalola is believed to be returning to the PDP and he said in his letter of resignation that he thanked the governor for giving him the opportunity to serve, adding that his resignation would give him the opportunity to ‘dedicate my time to other engagements.’
But the lawmaker described the APC as a party of tyranny, saying the party’s leadership was envious of his achievements and was always working to stop his moves to serve the people.
“Whenever I tried to positively influence government policies to favour my constituents, some people in the APC would say no. Two of my followers were killed through fetish means. I can’t continue with a party full of devilish individuals.”
The immediate past Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa, expressed delight at the decision of the lawmaker to join the opposition party, saying it was a testament to the fact that the PDP was the party to beat in the September 22 election.
But the Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy of the APC in Osun State, Mr Kunle Oyatomi, said the party was not happy losing some of its members to the opposition parties.
He said, “We are not happy that those people left. They themselves know the reason why they have to leave, but whatever it ist and by whatever manner they have left, we wish them luck.
“But let me emphasise this, their leaving will not diminish the popularity of the APC. In the next one month, the boys will be separated from the men and by the grace of God it shall be APC all the way.”
Credit : The Punch
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