Date: 2018-03-16

State chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), in Kwara, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo has declared that no member of the party defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. Oyedepo made this known on Thursday in Ilorin when the North Central zone of PDP, led its Chairman, Arch Theophilus Dakas and his working committee members visited the party.

The chairman told the zonal executive members that notwithstanding the fact that APC was in government in Kwara, no member of PDP has decamped to it. "We are very delighted to tell you that there is no notable leader of our party that decamped or defected to APC in the state.

The fact that they are in government notwithstanding," Oyedepo added. According to Oyedepo, instead of PDP members to decamp to APC, reverse was the case as many APC members have joined PDP after the Nov 18, 2017 local government elections. The Chairman said a notable APC chieftain from Alanamu ward in Ilorin West local government, Dr. Hanafi Alabere, had left the party for PDP together with his over 1, 000 followers.

"We are in fact waiting for the good ones among them to join the train of liberation in Kwara State. Today, the factional crisis in PDP is virtually over. "We have learnt to work together so that in 2019, PDP will certainly be in government in Kwara State.

"Our party is waxing stronger in the State. APC years of misgovernment is giving us an edge in the hearts of the people of Kwara State," the chairman added. According to Oyedepo, the people in government under PDP from 2003 to 2013 are still same people in government under APC from 2013 till date.

"When it suited them they were under the umbrella and when they voluntarily refused the shade provided by our umbrella, they decided to hold the broom. "Whether under the umbrella or holding the broom, they are the same. Change of name, logo and the slogan is not change of nature and character.

"By 2019, they would have served the people of this State the same diet and soup for solid 16 years. The diet and soup have become stale and bitter. It now looks like poison that must be spit out; otherwise the effect could be cancerous to the people of the state," Oyedepo added.

The chairman said that the people of Kwara were tired of a government that consciously for 16 years worked against the interest of the people of the State. "If they control the state resources and we still not join them to lick their pot of soup, it means if they come to us they will pollute the Party already in the heart of Kwara electorate.

"It may be difficult for outsiders to believe that we are poised for history in this State in 2019, but our victory in 2019 general election in Kwara State is a foregone conclusion by the grace of God," he said. Oyedepo declared that the rumour that until the leadership of APC cross over to the PDP, the present leadership of the party could not win was a travesty of the PDP's well acknowledged efforts in the state. "We have for more than three years engaged the present government of Kwara in a battle of responsible opposition.

"The efforts we have made in that regard have now given birth to a culture of socio/political consciousness in Kwara. Kwarans now hold the government accountable," he added.

Oyedepo told the Zonal executives that PDP was fighting a cause in Kwara, adding that when people saw them struggle, they were fighting oppression. It is difficult for those that are not part of us to appreciate our plights. Those that are not touched by the wicked engine of oppression mobilized against us cannot see what we suffer," he said.

The chairman therefore called on the people of the state to tighten and guide their loins and develop home grown tactics and strategy to free themselves from years of government without appropriate direction and development.

Responding, Arch Dakas, the zonal chairman commended the party executives in the state for keeping the party intact despite the crisis. He assured the executives and members of PDP in Kwara that the zonal executives will carry the message to the national executives. Dakas appealed to the members to continue to work for the progress of the party for it to emerge victorious in 2019 general elections. He urged the state executive members not to stay at the Secretariat, but to go into the field on membership drive for the party. Dakas told the members that the National Chairman of the party has directed that power should move to the ward level where the people reside.

He commended the executives and members for the good performance of the party at the Nov 18, 2018 local government elections in the state. "If election comes, Kwara is one of the States PDP have hope in, your performance at the local government election was very wonderful, it showed that PDP is very much on ground in Kwara,"Dakas added.

According to Dakas, PDP belong to the people and they should decide where the party is going. According to the zonal chairman, era of impunity and imposition of candidates was gone in PDP, adding that the people will decide who should represent them.