Ahead of the Sept. 22 gubernatorial election in Osun, the formal chairman of Osun state Local Government Service Commission in the current All Progressives Congress government and a chieftain of the party, Elder Peter Adebayo Babalola, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun.
Babalola who was one of the front-line aspirant of APC defected to PDP on Friday with over eight thousands of his supporters.
It would be recalled that, Babalola had tendered his resignation letter as the chairman.
Receiving the defectors at the PDP party secretariat located at Biket junction along Osogbo/Ikirun road, Osogbo, the South West Deputy National Chairman, Mr Yomi Akinwomi, said Babalola’s defection was a right step looking at the political atmosphere which was unfavourable for him in the ruling APC.
The South West Deputy National Chairman who was flanked by the state chairman of the party, Prince Soji Adagunodo called on PDP members who are still in the All Progressive Congress (APC) to returned to their roots, adding that equal rights and privileges would be accorded to them without any form of neglect in the party.
Akinwomi enjoined supporters of the party and well meaning citizens in the state to vote for Sen. Ademola Adeleke, in the coming gubernatorial election on Sept. 22.
According to him, the party is behind Adeleke and will do everything possible to ensure he emerged as Governor in the coming election.
While speaking, the state party chairman, Prince Soji Adagunodo, said that 5000 APC members were received recently from Ila Local Government area with Mr Clement Akanni, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), representing Ila State Constituency in Osun House of Assembly into the PDP.
Adagunodo urged the electoral umpire, INEC, and security agencies to do everything possible against vote buying and electoral malpractices.
Babalola, while explaining the reason behind his defection said he was forced out of the party because of the imposition, impunity, and backdoors in the PDP.
He further said that the next governor in Osun ought to come from Osun west which had been denied the right to the governorship position.
Babalola, however, promised to work with the party towards the success of the coming gubernatorial election on Sept. 22.
