PDP members reject empowerment programme by defected Ondo lawmaker

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State have rejected an empowerment programme initiated by the lawmaker representing Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency, Hon. Festus Akingbaso, following his defection from the opposition party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The party members, who described the empowerment programme put together for both PDP and APC members in the ancient town, said the move was deceptive, politically motivated, and ill-timed.

The party leadership specifically stated that the empowerment programme was designed to lure loyal members of the party to the APC with Greek gifts from the newly defected lawmaker from the area.

Speaking, the chairman of the party in Idanre Local Government, Hon. Adekunle Akinlalu, expressed dismay over the development, saying Akingbaso introduced the empowerment programme after realising he had joined a dead party.

According to him, Akingbaso has betrayed the trust and confidence reposed in him by the constituents who voted him as their representative. He said the lawmaker had disappointed the people of the area who believed in his capacity.

He noted that Akingbaso had been dwindling since the news of his defection filtered into the community and had been relegated to the background politically since he joined the APC.

He stated that the PDP believes the empowerment was put in place to score cheap political points, adding that the items to be distributed are part of the 2024 budget.

Akinlalu said he could not fathom the reasons behind Akingbaso’s defection after contesting for various posts and winning all the elections, noting that the people had supported him to win the Chairmanship of the Local Government, Assembly seat, House of Representatives seat, and Deputy Governorship candidacy.

He said turning his back on the PDP was very disappointing and showed a lack of respect for the electorate, urging party members not to be cajoled by the empowerment into leaving the party.

He said, “This meeting was called to intimate our members of the defection of our federal lawmaker representing Idanre, Akingbaso, and his plans to cajole PDP members with an empowerment programme.

“We heard that he has been moving around, reaching out to our members, trying to convince them to follow him to the APC. So, we had to organise this meeting to sanitise our people, to let them know that PDP will rise again and there is no break in our structure.

“Let it be known that Akingbaso is on his own. Even the empowerment he promised us before he left the party, he never fulfilled it. After he left, he contacted us saying he wanted to carry out empowerment programmes for us, and we rejected them.

“We don’t and won’t take anything from him. We told him to take everything to APC. Go and do it for them.”

A leader of the party in the local government, Mayokun Akinmoladun, said the meeting became imperative to let the people know that Akingbaso’s defection does not affect the fortune and future of the PDP in the state.

“PDP remains a solid party. His exit does not affect anything regarding the party. Everything goes on. The party still has its own crowd and Idanre is the home of PDP.

“We believe in PDP because of its ideology of developmental strength. Since the days of Governor Agagu, one of the greatest things we’ve achieved in this community came when Governor Agagu was in office under PDP.

“The defection of Akingbaso is inconsequential. We reject his empowerment programme, the people rejected it. It was a personal decision from him.

“PDP had packaged him so well, and he had benefited a lot. He won all these elections while in the opposition. So why should he fear being in the opposition now? He has been winning elections from the opposition since the beginning.”

The Ondo State Chairman of PDP, Hon. Bakita Bello, dismissed claims that the party has collapsed in the state, and said the defection of Akingbaso would not affect the party.

Bello said, “The PDP in Lagos State remains solid and intact despite the exit of the lawmaker,” but solicited the support of the people.

He urged members to come together and work towards the development of their immediate environment.

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