PDP members in Ilorin west defect to APC

FORMER members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Ilorin West local government area of Kwara state have officially renounced their membership of the party in Kwara state.

The politicians, who came from the 12 wards of the local government area of the state announced their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ilorin on Monday, hoisting the APC flag at the party secretariat.

Announcing their defection, former chairman of PDP in Ilorin west local government area, Sulaiman Abubakar, said that 95 per cent of the party structure across the 12 wards of the area remained united and had officially moved to the APC.

“I want to assure leaders of our party that Ilorin West APC has no fear of anyone among the opposition because we have what it takes to retire them politically come 2019 through issue-based campaigns. We have done it before in the last local government election in 2017 and we shall repeat the same by the special grace of God,” he said.

Receiving the defectors, APC Caretaker Committee Chairman in the state Bashir Bolarinwa, urged the people to do the needful by winning the state in the 2019 general elections.

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Hon. Bolarinwa assured the new members of APC that everyone would be accorded same respect and recognition without any discrimination.

“I join all of you in commending the former PDP chairman, Oyedepo, for the wonderful work he has done. He has been the face of struggle in Kwara state. I am receiving you this morning into APC and we have absolute belief in you that you will do it again. You have done it before.

“In no time, the membership registration cards of the APC will be issued to you. Our national chairman has said that in few days online registration of members will commence and Kwara will be given utmost attention,” he said.

Also speaking, former chairman of the PDP in the state now a member of the APC, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, who was also on hand to receive the decampees, hailed the Ilorin West local government area for being the first to announce its members’ defection to APC, saying, “No more umbrella. It is now a broom revolution. And with the broom, we will sweep them away.”

He also described Ilorin West as a pacesetter with their defection, saying that the people had done a lot to promote the party.

“What you have done today is what all of us will do across the state. Our opponents have wasted our time for 16 years. They gave us bad governance. We are telling our leaders in APC that they will no longer win elections in Kwara state.“

Another decampee, and pioneer chairman of the PDP in Kwara state, Mr. Kunle Sulaiman, urged new members not to entertain fear, saying that none would be discriminated against.

“I am using this opportunity to call on the national chairman of the APC to talk to the APC senators in the National Assembly to use their majority position to throw out all our sons and daughter in the National Assembly.