Olufemi Atoyebi, Ibadan
Former governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja, on Friday announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the African Democratic Congress in a ceremony witnessed by his associates and loyalists at his residence in Ibadan.
Ladoja had dumped the Accord Party after the 2015 general elections to rejoin the PDP, which he had left before the 2011 general elections. Last year, he rejoined the party but frictions with the National Working Committee of the party over leadership in Oyo State forced him out of the party.
Among the former governor’s loyalists at the declaration were Senator Femi Lanlehin; a former Secretary to the State Government, Sarafadeen Alli; a former Attorney General in the state, Bayo Lawal; 16 members of the present state House of Assembly and a host of others.
While addressing his followers, the former governor said that after meeting with former President Olusegun Obasanjo and notable leaders of the party, he had been given a bigger duty at the national level, which involved welcoming the expected serving governors who would be joining the party soon.
He therefore urged new members of the party in the state to be ready to work for the success of the party in the ward, council and state levels, starting with the coming congresses.
He said, “We have representation in all the wards in the state so we have to plan the congress early in order to evade the limitation given by the Independent National Electoral Commission in its timetable. I urge you to work harder than before. We trusted some people in the other party but we were betrayed; this time, we have to defend the interest of our group.
“The assignment I have now is to welcome the new governors that are joining the party. I may not be around but I am sure that the state is safe in the hands of our people.”
Ladoja said that the party would still work with the PDP at the national level, having signed an agreement to field a joint presidential candidate.
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