By Michael-Azeez Ogunsiji, Abeokuta
Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State loyal to Senator Olamilekan Adeola popularly known as Yayi on Tuesday defected to the Alliance of Democracy (AD) in Ogun State.
At a press conference held at the NUJ Press Centre, Iwe-Iroyin House, the APC faction, known as De-Democrats said they were leaving the party for AD due to the alleged undemocratic practices of the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
The defectors headed by former APC Senatorial Chairman, Ogun Central, Engr. Kunle Adeshina confirmed that, Senator Olamilekan Adeola had been excused from the governorship race in Ogun State, adding that, members of De-Democrats are moving to the new party to continue their agitation for internal party democracy in the state.
Engr. Adeshina while addressing journalists at the Iwe-Irohin press centre, accused Governor Amosun of unilaterally removing seven party chairmen who were duly elected at the 2014 party congress.
He said, having exhausted all avenues to find redress within APC without any success, members of the APC De-Democrats have decided to seek internal democracy in their new political party, Alliance for Democracy.
“It is important to state at this point in time that, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola Yayi has decided to excuse himself from the governorship race in order to avoid engineering any crisis in Ogun State APC. However, we members of De-Democrats are determined to continued our agitation for internal party democracy and majority rule in the politics of Ogun State.
“De-Democrats in Ogun State is an assemblage of APC members who have been schemed out of the APC activities due to the undemocratic practices of the State Executive Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
“One of such undemocratic practices of the governor is the unilateral removal of 7 party chairmen who were duly elected at the 2014 party congress. Having exhausted all avenues to find redress within the APC without any success, members of the APC De-Democrat have decided to take their destiny in their hands.
“Consequently, we unanimously resolved to exit the APC to a more democratic political platform which was one of the foundations of the current democratic organization being enjoyed in the country “.