A former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Lagos State, Tunji Shelle, on Saturday resigned his membership of the party, defecting to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Shelle and other PDP bigwigs, as well as some Labour Party members, joined the ADC at an affirmation ceremony in Lagos.
A former PDP BOT member, Abimbola Ogunkelu, another former State PDP Chairman, Muritala Ashorobi, PDP Vice Chairman (Lagos East), Tai Benedict, ex-Youth Leader, Niyi Adams, and Rahman Owokoniran, ex-South West secretary, were among stalwarts who defected with Mr Shelle.
NAN reports that the ADC National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, and other ADC chieftains, received Mr Shelle and others into the party.
Speaking with NAN, Mr Shelle said he and others decided to dump the PDP because of the ”gross indiscipline and endless crises” in the party.
He said they were disappointed that the leadership of PDP could not halt the “destabilising activities” of some national leaders of the party.
Mr Shelle said PDP leaders, like the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, were not working for the progress of the party.
He accused Mr Wike of working for the All Progressives Congress (APC) while still claiming membership of the PDP.
Mr Shelle said: “Wike cannot hijack the party, and the rest of us continue to look as if we are helpless or we are no human beings.
“I don’t take it. I don’t like being subjected to such ridicule.
“One man cannot say he is working for APC while on the other hand keeps holding PDP to ransom. I think the leaders (PDP leaders) are compromised.”
He said his defection to ADC with other PDP leaders had further weakened the former ruling party.
“PDP is now empty with all its leaders moving to ADC in Lagos,” he said.
Mr Shelle, who noted that ADC had tested and trusted politicians in its fold, said that the party was strong enough to stand against the ruling party in 2027.
He said that ADC’s Interim Chairman, David Mark, and Mr Aregbesola have the capacity to steer the party to victory.
“There are no distractions in ADC. The party leaders are not people anyone can buy over.
“ADC has all it takes to save the situation in Nigeria and give the people the country of their dream,” he said.
He said the support for ADC was growing by the day and urged Nigerians to join the party.
“People are behind us, we are not fighting the battle alone.
“We expect Nigerians to join the movement so that all of us can win together. With Nigerians behind us, ADC will definitely make a difference,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, Mr Owokoniran, who noted that PDP had lost track, said, “PDP is gone, there is nothing there. ADC is the only opportunity to challenge the ruling APC.”
Also speaking, a former PDP Vice Chairman (Lagos East), Tai Benedict, said that many more leaders and members of the former ruling party were still on their way into ADC.
“We are emptying PDP members in Lagos State into ADC. Others are on the way; they want to take their last supper before coming,” Mr Benedict said.
Also, Niyi Adams, a former Lagos State PDP youth leader, claimed that more than 5,000 PDP members defected to ADC across the 20 local governments of the state.
Mr Adams, who decried persistent internal crises in the PDP, said defectors would work assiduously to ensure victory for ADC in the 2027 general elections.
The ex-party chieftain said he did not think PDP would be able to resolve its crisis even after the November National Convention.
(NAN)
