The All Progressives Congress has gained numerically at the expense of the main opposition party in Nigeria, PDP as an influential member jumps ship.
Sarafa Tunji Isola
Former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Sarafa Tunji Isola has dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State.
Isola, who was also the Secretary to the Ogun State Government from 2003 – 2007, said he was leaving PDP because of the protracted legal battle and factionalisation in the party.
Ishola, the Baba Adini of Yorubaland was the Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of PDP posted to Osun State by Ahmed Makarfi National Caretaker Committee of the party.
The event was conducted behind closed doors at the MITROS hall in Ibara GRA, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital while the media men were ordered out of the hall. In a statememt signed by him on Friday in Abeokuta, the state capital, the ex minister, who is also the Baba Adinni of Yorubaland said he took the decision after wide consultation with his followers and associates.
His words: "I am leaving PDP because of the unending legal battle in Ogun state; this leading to protracted crisis in the party. You will recall that the same legal battle was responsible for the failure of the PDP in Ogun State in Year 2011 general elections and the electoral defeat of the party in Year 2015″.
“It is very clear that If you continue to do the same thing, same way, you can’t get a different result.
More over, an intractable crisis less than one year to general elections will spell doom for the party. Having decided to leave PDP , I embarked on wide consultations across the country, particularly in Ogun Central Senatorial District on the next line of action.
“Across the nation, the general opinion of my associates is that a former minister should play politics in a party with national spread.
In addition , all politics is local and the opinion of leaders and various political stakeholders in Ogun Central is to join APC. ”
The reason they addused is the face lift of Abeokuta, the state capital and the infrastructural development of Ogun State by the APC government led by the Senator Ibikunle Amosun-led administration”.