Victor Ogunje in Ado-Ekiti
Barely one month to the June 18 gubernatorial election in Ekiti State, the Action Democratic Party Deputy Governornorship candidate, Mr. Idowu Afuye, has defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Afuye formally announced this on Thursday while addressing newsmen, in Ado-Ekiti.
Explaining what triggered his action, Afuye said he dumped the ADP having realized that the party governorship candidate, Kemi Elebute-Halle allegedly lacked the vision to rescue Ekiti from.economic doldrums.
Afuye accused Halle of crass display of undemocratic tendencies in the running of the campaign, saying that principle of internal democracy were subverted as he observed her overbearing manner since her emergence.
Afuye described the current situation in the party as one man show, saying it would be impossible to build democracy on a weak foundation of deceit, dictatorship and intolerance.
” My mission here today is to notify the general public that I and my supporters have decided to leave ADP and join the moving train of APC. I must let you know that in ADP, It is a one man show. There is no internal democracy, no clear vision and mission.
“The governorship candidate is a trader, a shopper and lover of money. As I am taking my exit from the party, I confirm to you that the candidate is looking for the highest bidder among the candidate. In fact, she has approached APC. All these she was doing without carrying me and the leadership of the party along. Before, she destroys my political career, I have decided to move”.
Afuye hinged his decision to join the APC alongside 2000 suppoters because the party has workable blueprint embedded with agenda to transform Ekiti state and remains a safe haven where the interest of his supporters can be protected.
He pledged to support the candidature of APC flagbearer, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji(BAO), promising to work assiduously for his victory in the forthcoming governorship election.
“My decision to return to my base the APC today is because I have critically examined the platform on which I can contribute my quota to the development of my dear state, and most important where the interest of my numerous supporters can be protected, cum a platform that has the love of the Ekiti in mind.
“Another fantastic aspect of it is the robust
ideology of the APC governorship candidate, Biodun Oyebanji. I must state unequivocally, that BAO knows the nitty-gritty of governance in Ekiti .
” So, I made bold to say to all every Ekiti indigenes with genuine love for Ekiti that BAO remains the charismatically qualified candidate for the governorship at this time.
“BAO has a genuine manifesto as a road map towards infrastructural and human development of Ekiti. I am promising BAO and APC of an aggressive mobilization of all my structures and contacts for its victory in the forthcoming poll”, he said.
