2023: Kwara PDP suffers huge setback as stakeholders, supporters defect to APC
•Says PDP lacks fairness/justice
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, yesterday, suffered a catastrophic setback following the defection of Chieftains of the party like Otunba Olabode Oyedepo (widely known as Deway) and their supporters across the 83 wards of Kwara South to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Deway who met with the Executive Governor of Kwara State, His Excellency, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in the company of former Commissioner for Information in the state, Oloriewe Raheem Adedoyin, said he and his supporters arrived at the decision because there is no fairness and justice in Kwara PDP.
According to him, the leadership of the Kwara PDP have remained consistent in their ill treatment of the people of Kwara South, particularly the people of Irewolede axis of lrepodun Local Government, where he hails from.
He said, “for over two decades of my participation in Kwara politics, it has always been about my people. However, despite our unwavering loyalty and concurrent success at the polls, the leadership of the PDP in the state has consistently treated my people with disdain.
“We can no longer remain loyal to a Kwara PDP leadership that has endlessly treated my people as if we don’t exist or count.
Hence it is time for me and my unyielding supporters across the 83 wards to join the progressives, it is time for us to join forces with our performing Governor, His Excellency, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, leadership of the APC and all the candidates of the party in the state and at the centre.”
Speaking further, Deway who is the Opomulero of Oro Kingdom, said, “among those moving with me to the ruling APC are former lawmakers, Kwara House of Assembly candidates and aspirants across board in the previous elections.
“Meanwhile, let me state that our decision to move signals the end of PDP in Irepodun and by extension, the Kwara South Senatorial District.”
Deway, however assured the Governor that he and his supporters will work assiduously to deliver Kwara South for Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the APC Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State APC and the national body of the party is planning massive welcome rally for all decamping PDP Stakeholders including Otunba Oyedepo and their supporters.