….Eyitayo Jegede, Debo Ologunagba, Tokunbo Modupe, others storm Akoko, confident of victory
By: Adeboye Ado
Ahead of the 2023 general election, a former member of the House of Representatives for Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency, Hon. Stephen Olemija and hundreds of his supporters today dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to defect to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State.
Olemija, a former APC federal lawmaker, dumped the ruling party and pledged his firm support for the PDP in a welcoming ceremony held on Saturday in Ikare Akoko, in the Akoko North East Local Government Area of the State.
The one time Reps member was a PDP chieftain and the local government chairman under the administration of former Governor Olusegun Agagu and later joined the APC in 2015 to run and won the House of Reps poll under the APC.
At a well-attended political gathering with array of bigwigs which encompasses —the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Hon. Debo Ologunagba; a former Gubernatorial Candidate in the State, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede; Chairman Ondo PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Col. Roland Omowa, the Ondo North Senatorial Candidate, Akogun Tokunbo Modupe among other leaders; Olemija decamped alongside Engr Steve Giwa, a former Chairman of the Ondo State Water Corporation.
The defection is a big blow for the APC Senatorial Candidate in Ondo North, Pastor Jide Ipinsagba who is an Ikare kinsman of Olemija, while the defection would further boost the winning chances of the PDP Candidate, Akogun Modupe.
Welcoming him back to his former abode, the Party State Chairman, Mr. Fatai Adams, said the defection of Olemija and his supporters was a totem that the party would defeat the APC with a huge margin during the general elections, adding that the development is a harbinger of better times to come.
Adams noted that the ruling party was on the brink of collapse, saying the avalanche of new entrants who joined the party at the event is a testament to the fact that APC failed to honored its campaign promises and, shouldn’t be voted for.
Corroborating the terse speech of the Chairman, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, hailed the decision of the former lawmaker, while he urged other members who left the party to return back so as to forge a united front that will prove to be a catalyst for needed change.
Describing Olemija as a politician with massive influence capable of winning Ikare for PDP, Ologunagba said “this event is very important to all PDP members, you know the pedigree of Hon. Olemija, you know he is a big fish, a grassroot politician and staunch member of the PDP. He is also a two time Local Government Chairman, so we are happy to have him back.
On the sideline of the event, the Ondo North Senatorial Candidate, Akogun Tokunbo Modupe expressed optimism that the party would coast home to victory in the forthcoming election, noting that members of the party are not lymphatic as to engaging people to vote for all the candidates in the state.
However, Olemija, who berated the APC, described it as a party with no modicum of organization, maintaining that he did not rue his decision on joining the PDP.
“I thank leaders of the party for the warm reception, for complete three months, they came, asking me to join them. Subsequently, I acceded because my former party lacks adequate coordination. I didn’t regret leaving APC ”
