Ogun: APC Governorship Aspirant, Paseda Dumps Party

By Akinwale Kasali

The gale of defection rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has continued, as two-time governorship candidate in Ogun State, Otunba Rotimi Paseda has dumped the party.

In a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Paseda, cited the decision of the party to chose Prince Dapo Abiodun, the incumbent Governor as its  governorship candidate, for his action.

Paseda, the 2015 Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, governorship candidate in the state, said he has lost interest in the party, which he claimed has abandoned its core democratic values.

He added that the choice of Governor Abiodun as APC governorship candidate   for the 2023 election will cost the party dearly.

“Sir, the decision to terminate my membership of this great party was borne out of my personal conviction, having x-rayed the event that led me into joining the party, and having worked for the party, particularly with our collective efforts that lead to the winning of for the 2019 governorship election in the state,” he said.

According to him, “I am of the strong opinion that it would be unwise, in my usual character, to remain in the party with a faulty, faulted and erroneous choice of the party governorship candidate that will not earn the party the needed electoral victory at the 2023 poll.

“Though, it is a painful decision, considering the vacuum which my exit will create with my various groups of APC card carrying members in the state, 6000 Reformed OPC members, 2000 Ijebu Youth Association members and thousands of various Paseda Movement loyalists, as the National resuscitator, sole financier and 2015 Governorship candidate of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and the 2019 Governorship Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Having made extensive consultations it has become necessary that I make this move.

“Mr. Chairman sir, no doubt, I’ll be missing some of my colleagues with whom we have worked together within the period of my stay in the party. I’m however left with no option than taking the decision which I have just done.

“I, however, want to believe and hope that we all will surely meet again at a better and more rewarding platform that will catapult us towards achieving our political goal.”

The exit of Paseda from the APC is coming days after former APC Chairman in Rivers State, Magnus Abe left the Party.

Earlier this week, Theodore Georgewill,  the Campaign Director General to APC’s Governorship Candidate in the 2019 Election, Tonye Cole  tendered his resignation letter to the party.

Georgewill in a letter dated July 18, 2022, formally resigned from the party citing  Personal reasons.

Ibim Semenitari, the former Commissioner for Information and Communication of Rivers State had also left the APC.

Others, who announced resignation  from the APC in their letters to their respective wards chairmen were Dawari George,

Marvin Yobana (former Africa’s Representative at the World Youth Assembly), Nkemka Amadi and Robinson Elechi.