By Wale Akinselure
A former commissioner of health, Dr Azeez Adeduntan, has defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State.
Adeduntan who was governorship aspirant of the APC both for the 2019 and 2023 elections, made known this decision while addressing a press conference at his foundation office, in Ibadan, on Tuesday, stating that his defection is aimed at supporting the second term bid of Governor Seyi Makinde.
The former commissioner said his decision to dump the APC was informed by the failure of the party to implement a mechanism to reach out to him for nine months after the party’s governorship primary in the state.
He bemoaned what he described as “fraud, electoral heist, corruption and Abuja god-fatherism” that characterized the Oyo APC governorship primary held last year.
Adeduntan noted that he could no longer be in a party “where minions continue to lionize themselves” in the affairs of the party.
According to him, the decision to dump the APC as well as not seek legal redress to “fraud” in the 2022 primary was taken after consultations with his supporters spread across the 33 local government areas of the state.
While declaring support for Makinde’s second term, Adeduntan expressed support for the presidential bid of Senator Bola Tinubu of the APC.
Adeduntan said: “To forestall accusation of anti-party activities, as well as my unwavering commitment to truth, justice, equity and fair play, and after full consultation with my supporters throughout the 33 local government areas of Oyo State, I, Azeez Adeduntan, the Osi Basorun of Ibadan land, hereby resign my membership of APC effective today, Tuesday.
“I am defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to support my brother, Engineer Seyi Makinde for a well-deserved second term and Bola Ahmed Tinubu as president of Nigeria.
“I, therefore, direct all my supporters in the Labour Party, I was their candidate in 2011; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), I was a qualified 2015 aspirant in PDP; in APC, in 2019 and 2022 where we wasted several millions for fraudulent elections.
“I cannot continue to be in a situation where minions will continue to lionize themselves on the streets of Oyo State while a well known man in the world will just stay apart. Based on our evaluation, Seyi Makinde is the best.
“There was no primary in APC in 2022. “People suggested that I should stay in APC and just work for Seyi Makinde, that is not the way it goes. Once you are in a party where things were fraudulent and nothing was done in nine months, the best was for me to step aside.”
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