A Divided House?
BY TAIWO FAROTIMI
Azeez Adesiji, deputy chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Osun State has announced his defection from the party. He and the affected leaders dropped their joint letter of resignation on Monday. In it they stated that they were leaving because of impunity and certain undemocratic practices in the ruling party. The letter reads in part: ” I, Alhaji Azeez Issa Adesiji and other state exco members wish to make it known to you all about our defection into this new, credible, alternative party because of impunity and undemocratic practices witnessed in our former party, the All Progressives Congress, Osun State, which is unbecoming of an acclaimed progressive party.
“Among the 780 local government executives in APC in Osun State, 580 are moving with me the deputy state chairman of the party to our new party, the Action Democratic Party,
“Also, among the 8,632 executives at the ward level in the APC, 5,620 are also joining the train to our new party, Action Democratic Party.”
There have been some discontent following the governorship primaries in the state. In fact, Moshood Adeoti, erstwhile secretary to the state government who was an aspirant in the primaries had defected to another party shortly after the primaries. He went into the Action Democratic Party, ADP, the same party that Adesiji and his men have joined.
One thing the party has going for it is that it has taken its candidate from the Osun East senatorial district, an area popularly supported for the governorship. The People’s Democratic Party, PDP that also did same has a problem on its hands. Ademola Adeleke, its candidate is battling with allegations of certificate fraud. He will know his fate on Wednesday. If he loses, Akin Ogunbiyi, who is also from Iwo as Adeoti. But if Adeleke wins, the charm of the sympathy votes following the death of his brother, Isiaka Adeleke for the senate seat would have to be put to test. Now, the national movement against the APC and PDP may also be tested in Osun. Here ADP is being positioned as the new alternative.
Does that mean victory for Adeoti and ADP? Time will tell.