Why I joined APC – Awude, LP governorship candidate in Ondo

— Leads hundreds of PDP, ADC, SDP to APC

By Dayo Johnson Akure

The 2024 deputy governorship candidate of the labour Party in Ondo State and a former commissioner, Hon Dayo Awude has led hundreds of members of the party and other opposition parties to the ruling All Progressive Congress.

Leaders of the party that defected are from the opposition People’s Democratic Party, Labour party and the Social Democratic party.

A Chieftain of the PDP in Ese- Ondo council area were led by Hon Suffy Uguogi while a former state Secretary of the SDP, Hon Dele Ogunbameru led other decampees.

Awude who was former State Vice Chairman of the PDP, who spoke on behalf of others,cited his alignment with the progressive ideals and developmental agenda of the current administration as reason for joining the ruling party.

“I have joined the APC to add value, and I assure Mr. Governor that he will see it. I urge all our party faithful to return to their units and wards to fully integrate themselves. I am here for progress to support President Bola Tinubu and to support the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.”

He added that they joined the ruling party because of President Bola Tinubu’s track record of achievements over the years.

According to him, we decided to join the APC because of the “lauded achievements , leadership qualities of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the good works of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

He promised that they will work assiduously for the re- election of President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.

The former governorship candidate, lauded the President for displaying rare courage in confronting the Nation’s daunting economic challenges and taking tough decisions to reset the country on the path of economic development.

Awude who said that that the decision to join the ruling party followed extensive consultations and personal reflection,
promised to contribute meaningfully to the party.

Addressing the mammoth crowd at the Akure town, the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, welcome the decampees to the party promising that they would be integrated into the mainstream.

Aiyedatiwa said that ” Your coming to the the ruling party is an evident that the vote we didn’t get during the last governorship election in the state will now come in during the 2027 election.

” Your coming will add value.There’s enough room for everybody in APC. it is an evidence of good governance and winning is not the issue, we’ll have overwhelming votes in 2027.

” Ondo is for Tinubu come 2027. We’ll vote massively for his re- election.We will retain power both at the Federal and the state.

Speaking on coalition against the president, Aiyedatiwa said ” In Ondo State, there is no room for coalition, it is one APC. People join political parties for different reasons, but the interest of the party must always supersede every other interest, and for us in the APC, that interest is to retain power.”

“The whole of Ondo State is for President Tinubu come 2027, and the decision of these defectors to join us today is a strong step towards that goal. Joining our party is an assurance that we will do greater numbers and further strengthen the APC ahead of the presidential election,”

Other defectors, Suffy Uguogi and Dele Ogunbameru said he had faced numerous challenges in his former party but now feels at home in the APC. He added that he has joined the ruling party to contribute his wealth of experience and help move it forward.

Welcoming the new members, the state chairman of the party, Engineer Ade Adetimehin, said that the having Hon Dayo Awude joined the ruling party is a big plus for the party in the state.

Adetimehin welcomed and congratulated them for joining the ruling party with an assurance that they would not regret their action.

He said that ” Any politician who cannot deliver his unit and ward is not a politician. I urge all our new members to work towards strengthening the party at the grassroots.

“Therefore, on behalf of the National Chairman of our party, I want to formally welcome you into APC and I thereby hand you over to the Leader of our party in Ondo State, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa

Describing many of the decampees as leaders and solid members of the opposition parties, assured them that the APC would provide equal opportunities and privileges for both old and new members, adding that the party doors were still open for others to join.

Adetimehin who asked the existing members of the party to welcome the decampees with open arms, enjoined all members of the party to remain united in order to continue to move the wheel of progress of the State forward.

He pleaded with the new members to ” knock the doors when you get to your units, wards and local governments and wait for those you met there to open the doors for you to come inside.

The party chairman said that many others will soon join the ruling party in large numbers.

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