Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
As the wind of defection continues to blow, in Kwara State, 16 All Progressives Congress (APC) Local Government chairmen in the state have officially announced their defection to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Addressing journalists, in Ilorin, on Thursday, the state chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), in the state, who is also the council boss of Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Joshua Omokanye, said that their decision was not in conflict with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and supported by Section 109 (1) (g).
Omokanye, who said that the defection train carried along with it all political office holders at the third tier of government, added that it included council chairmen, vice chairmen, Speakers, LG secretaries, supervisory councillors, 193 elected councillors and other political appointees.
Said he, “It is our collective resolve to join the Peoples Democratic Party as the worthy alternative platform to further our political careers and work for the advancement of the generality of our people.
READ ALSO: Nigerians’ll soon know who’s in charge of Sokoto politics – Tambuwal
“Since we are welcomed by the party, we have no doubt it wouldn’t be like the conglomeration of strange bedfellows that APC had been in the last four years.
“We have in the recent time experienced untoward developments within the political party we all claim to belong and loyal to.
“Precisely, it would be noted that All Progressives Congress is being controlled by a cabal who are hellbent in destroying its ever-rising acceptability before the populace.
“They have surreptitiously made it lose the compass of inclusiveness. It can today be said that APC is lacking internal democracy.
“It has sunk into an abysmal level of political decorum, regaling in civil misconduct and lagging behind in ethical standard, thereby impairing the growth of democratic culture in the political arena.
“It is, to many of us, disgusting to note that all what the cabal controlling the party is doing is to cater for the personal interest and marshal the ego of a few interest groups within the party.
READ ALSO: N140bn released for Social Investment Programme in 2017 – FG
“Noticeably, since the completion of congresses and convention of APC, there has been flagrant disregard for decorum, disobedience and inconsistence in following party guidelines as well as subjugation of rules with impunity. These among others led to the emergence of a faction named rAPC within the party.
“It would be recalled that recently there was an attempt to unlawfully dissolve the state executive of the party in Kwara state by the national working committee.
“Aside, there have been long drawn unrelenting assaults on some personalities whose views differ at some points. All these are injurious to the tenets of democracy”, Omokanye said.
