By Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti
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No fewer than 2,500 members from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ifaki-Ekiti, Ido/Osi Local Government of Ekiti State at the weekend dumped their parties and pitched their tents with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State.
The carnival-like ceremony held at the palace square Ifaki-Ekiti, the hometown of the governorship candidate of the SDP during the last governorsip election in Ekiti State, Segun Oni.
The decampee included former executive members of both parties as well as other notable members and loyalists of former Governor Segun Oni.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Senator representing Ekiti North Senatorial District, at the upper legislative house, Mr Olubumi Adetumbi welcomed the new members, saying that some of them had joined the APC during the last governorship election in the State.
He explained that the ceremony organised by the APC in the State was aimed at officially receiving them to the party.
He equally promised equal opportunity to the new members and explained that the party will not discriminate against them.
The Senator lamented that the APC in the area had been losing the town to opposition parties during previous elections, hence the reason to mobilise the people to join the party.
He commended the new and old members of the party in the area over the success of the APC during the just concluded general elections, assuring them that the party will not neglect them in all its programmes and projects.
Receiving the new members, the State Chairman of the APC, Paul Omotoso, congratulated and assured them that the party would not discriminate against them.
Omotoso said the move which he said has made the APC in the area to be victorious over other political parties in the country, gave an assurance that the party will continue to treat equally with the existing members.
The chairman explained that the APC has come to stay in the area and the country at large, urging them to continue to work and contribute more to the progress of the party.
Speaking on behalf of other defectors, Mr. Akin Falana who is also a former Chairman of the SDP in the area, said they decided to join the APC in view of the performances of Governor Biodun Oyebanji.
