By Ayodele Oni
As Political Parties participating in November Governorship election in Ondo State, intensify their campaigns which began on June 17, the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP), and the All Progressives Congress (APC), have began poaching among their supporters.
The PDP had witnessed, and celebrated massive defection of APC members from Akure South Local Government on Wednesday, but APC described the defection as fake.
While mocking the APC for the loss, the PDP advised the ruling Party and its candidate, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to brace up for more shocking moments like they got on Wednesday in Akure, when members of the APC, defected in their thousands to the Peoples Democratic party (PDP).
Leaders of three major groups in the Akure South arm of the APC, led their members to the PDP, in support of the Party’s effort to “rescue the state from its present State.”
Head of Media and Publicity to Agboola Ajayi, the PDP’s candidate, Ayo Fadaka, while reacting in a statement, issued in Akure on Thursday, by the APC candidate’s Lucky Ayedatiwa Campaign Organisation foot-Soldiers, Independent Council statement signed by Kayode Fasua, the media Director on Wednesday, alleged that the Wednesday decampees were rented for the purpose.
Rubbishing the APC and their campaign organisation claim, which can best be described “as the thunderbolt effect of the Akure defection on the APC candidate” Fadaka said, “only residents of the State living in self denial, would feign ignorance of the spate of defections in favour of the PDP, that have characterized the State’s political space since Agboola Ajayi emerged as the candidate of the party.
“APC members have decamped to the PDP, even at Aiyedatiwa’s backyard in his native town. It is natural for the APC Candidate to think the mammoth crowd he saw decamped in Akure on Wednesday were paid because he thrives in the politics of conscience- buying, which he is noted for.
”We know those who have been sharing dollars like its going out of fashion, all in the bid to gain acceptance, but the truth will always be the truth.
“Those who decamped in Akure on Wednesday are people with fixed address. People who are popular and known in and around their.community. The reason they advanced for their defection are reasons every sincere people can relate with and they don’t need to be paid to run away from hunger or leave an undemocratic system like the APC.
“The real shocker awaits the APC and its candidate after the PDP flags off its campaign. Paying for the conscience of people, for electoral gain is not in the character of the PDP and its candidate.
He said “before the Wednesday shocker, APC members had defected to the PDP in their thousands in Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Akoko and Akure South LGs and many are still coming.
“You can’t buy your way into the people’s heart, especially when what you represent is pain and agony.
“People are aware of what the PDP and its candidate represent, they are tried and trusted, hence, need not pay anyone to join the Ondo rescue team, because the people are hungry and tired of the fake change APC represents.”
, and the All Progressives Congress (APC), have began poaching among their supporters.){kind=link}