Accord Party members tear membership cards, as APC receives defectors from PDP, Labour Party, others
Hundreds of Accord Party members in Oyo State on Wednesday publicly tore their membership cards, as leading members of opposition parties dumped their parties for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC,) citing lack of internal democracy and integrity among party leaders as reasons.
The defectors from Accord, Labour Party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and KOWA Party, who were in their thousands, were received into the APC’s fold by the governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the State party Chairman, Chief Akin Oke.
The defectors were led by Dr. Adegoke Adeyemo aka Okebadan, Mr. Olawale Oladoja, a former director of Odu’a Investment and Mr. Musa Kazeem Obisesan (Accord), Hon. Olubunmi Oladeji Bamikole popularly known as `For the Mama Ke’ (PDP), Mr. Anthony Makinde (KOWA) and Mr. Agboola Oni (Labour Party).
The followers of a late Accord Party stalwart, Mrs. Bola Amole, who died mysteriously on the eve of her planned defection from the party to APC, led by Alhaja Sola Olasunkanmi and Alhaji Salawu Taiwo wept bitterly as they announced their exit from the party.
The ceremony also witnessed a solidarity rally and endorsement of Governor Ajimobi by members of the state chapter of Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Riders and Operators of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), the Okada union within the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
The endorsement rally also featured members of Oyo State chapter of the Islamic Musicians’ Association of Nigeria (ISMAN) led by the state Chairman, Alfa Sarafadeen Bembe Oru who pledged their support for the governor’s second term bid.
Speaking at the occasion, Mrs. Bamikole hinged her defection and that of other PDP members on what she called lack of discipline and integrity among the leadership their former party.
“I have been in politics for more than 21 years and I am a foundation member of the PDP in Oyo State. Since 1999, I have watched helplessly as the so-called party leaders have demonstrated gross ineptitude, self-centredness and lack of coordination.
“They impose incompetent candidates who know next to nothing about politics and governance when a party like APC puts forward men of high integrity, highly educated and cerebral to represent it at all levels of governance.
“Some of the leaders in the PDP are killers, fraudsters and killers. At the national level, they promised us light since 1999, where is the light? They promised us security of lives and property, where is the security? Even physical infrastructure have all collapsed under their watch.
“Now we have made up our minds that we can no longer co-habit with them. We opted for the APC because it is a disciplined party. We are particularly impressed by the leadership style and administrative acumen of Governor Abiola Ajimobi,’’ she said.
Bamikole appealed passionately to the people of the state to secure the future of their children and the generations yet unborn by voting for Governor Ajimobi, General Muhammadu Buhari and other APC candidates in the forthcoming general elections.
The leader of Bola Amole Group in the Accord Party, Alhaja Olasunkanmi directed the defecting members to produce their membership cards and ordered them to tear them as a further demonstration of their final departure from the Accord Party.
She said that the defectors were particularly embittered by the maltreatment of their benefactor, Mrs. Bola Amole who was said to be a major financier of the Accord, by the leadership of the party, stressing that her death on the eve of her planned defection to the APC left much to be desired.
Welcoming the defectors into the APC, Governor Ajimobi promised them equal opportunities and urged them to work harmoniously with other party members to ensure the success of the party at all levels during forthcoming general elections.
Ajimobi, who was in a somber mood while ordering a minute silence for the late Amole, described her as an unsung heroine of the Accord Party, having invested heavily on the party without any corresponding appreciation by the party’s leadership.
