PDP now an empty shell – Abiodun

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun on Wednesday, described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as an empty shell following the gale of defection rocking the party nationwide.

Abiodun stated this at a reception organised to formally welcome some PDP bigwigs into the All Progressive Congress in the state.

The defectors included the deputy governorship candidate of PDP in the 2023 elections, Adekunle Akinlade; former state chairman of the party, Sikirullahi Ogundele; and Deputy Minority leader of the State House of Assembly, Lukman Atobatele.

Others are former Chief Whip of the State House of Assembly, Idowu Olowofuja; former ALGON Chairman, Mojeed Ekelojumati and former Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Chairman, Rotimi Rahman.

Abiodun in his remarks re-echoed Ogundele’s earlier statement at the event that “every responsible member of PDP in Ogun State” has left the party.

He noted that the giant strides of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration have continued to attract opposition figures into the APC, including serving governors.

The Ogun Governor, who further took a swipe at the PDP, said, “PDP nationwide has become an empty shell. As a matter of fact, they have been referred to as Internally Displaced Persons (IDP). They are looking for IDP camps. They went to SDP, they were not accommodated, ditto to the ADC. They are still displaced.

“I am glad that you (new APC members) have chosen to come back to where you belong.”

Welcoming the new APC members, who he described as politicians with progressive-thinking, the Governor promised to accord them the rights and privileges due to them as party members and leaders.

The governor urged members of the APC from the 236 wards and the state working committee to accept and collaborate with the new members.

"Today, our brothers have come back home, and we are happy and rejoicing in it. We are happy to receive them back into the fold.

Earlier, Akinlade who was defeated in the 2019 governorship election by Abiodun, when he ran on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), thanked the governor for accepting them back to the ruling party.

"All I can say is to say thank you to our leader, to our amiable governor. What I have seen in the last couple of months is the dignity with which he received us; it takes only great men to be gracious in victory.

"Today, we are not decamping; this is a movement. We have moved en masse back home; we have left nobody behind because we believe in the leadership of our governor and the leadership of our party, both at the state and national levels.

"We are here to support you, Your Excellency. We are here to support the party; we are here to commit our loyalty to you and the party. We are here to work with you, Your Excellency," he said.