Ademola Babalola in Ibadan
Forty-eight hours after the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, joined Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, to receive those who decamped from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour and Accord parties, the PDP yesterday pooh poohed the rally, describing it as charade and face saving moves to deceive the electorate ahead of the impending defeat staring the party in the face in 2019 elections.
The PDP in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Akeem Olatunji, said the rally was more of a birthday celebration of the governor who clocked 68 last Saturday, because “the so-called defectors have joined APC long time ago,†adding that the event was organised to douse tension over the continuous rise and dominance of PDP in the state politics and Nigeria at large.
According to Olatunji, “It is absurd that 90 percent of the so called defectors have seized to be PDP members more than two years ago while the remaining 10 percent are politicians who make their living through politics and hence the need to be in the ruling party at all times because they lack ideologies and principles.
“The PDP in the state actually pitied Tinubu for the unenviable job of selling a rejected Oyo State APC to the electorate whereas the party hierarchy, including the national chairman of APC, knew that Oyo State APC is moribund. And the Saturday’s official declaration was just a charade to celebrate the birthday of Ajimobi in an elaborate and wasteful manner without taken into consideration the non-payment of between nine to 16 months salaries of the state tertiary institutions.
“It is in fact laughable that the APC which has totally failed in bringing together its old members who worked for her success in 2015 could recourse to panic mode just because the PDP has succeeded in uniting its fronts through the political sagacity of its leader, Sen Rashidi Ladoja.
“We were very much aware that Tinubu, Ajimobi and the so-called defectors left the venue dejected due to the refusal of the National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun, and other party echelons to grace the occasion.
“It is on record that the only minister from the State, Bayo Shittu, two serving Senators Monsurat Sunmonu and Fatai Buhari, including a member of the House of Representatives, Dapo Lam Adesina, and many other members of the House on the platform of APC boycotted the events to the surprise of Tinubu and the self-acclaimed constituted authority, Ajimobi.â€
PDP added that the APC under Ajimobi has failed because all the indices showed that APC is virtually dead but the undertakers were admitted with funfair last Saturday.
“President Muhammadu Buhari’s low key celebration of his 75th birthday is worthy of emulation, this is a milestone also coming after his recovery. It calls for celebration but the mood of the nation and Oyo State in particular where poverty is at alarming rate calls for sober reflections. What is the significant of 68 to 75?
“PDP both at the national and Oyo State has been adjudged as viable, masses-friendly, accommodating, transparent, fair and attractive by political stakeholders and lovers of democracy.
It is disgusting and highly embarrassing that the Ajimobi-led APC government that has repeatedly failed to conduct local government elections since 2011 and has flagrantly continued to violate Nigerian constitution, is living in a fantasy world that they can still get electorate votes in 2019, it is impossible!†PDP stated.
