The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Ondo State is bracing up for a big challenge against the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, as Lasisi Oluboyo, a former deputy governor of the state is poised to announce his return to the PDP. Oluboyo will be joining the party from Zenith Labour Party after abandoning its fold ahead of 2020 governorship elections in the state.
It was exclusively gathered that the former deputy governor had already met with the leaders of the opposition party as part of his aim to stage a return to the big stages of Ondo politics.
Our correspondent gathered on Monday that Oluboyo would be returning to the party alongside an erstwhile deputy chairman of the PDP with some of their supporters.
Recall that former governor, Olusegun Mimiko, had appointed Oluboyo shortly after Ali Olanusi was impeached by members of the Ondo State House of Assembly over allegations of gross misconduct.
However, Oluboyo left the PDP alongside his boss shortly after the expiration of the latter’s tenure as governor and joined the Labour Party before moving to the Zenith Labour Party.
He was said to have romanced the All Progressives Congress during the presidential and National Assembly elections earlier this year but dropped the idea following pressure from some quarters.
But a source told our correspondent that Oluboyo would officially announce his return to the PDP on Tuesday.
“He (Oluboyo) has already had the change of mind of returning to the PDP and he will be welcomed by party leaders.
“I am sure that he will officially declare tomorrow (Tuesday) at the party’s secretariat and he would be joined by others too.
“So, we have made preparations for his return. He was formally with us before he left to join Mimiko in Zenith Labour Party where he was not too relevant.
“At least, his return should be a booster for our party ahead of the 2020 governorship election in Ondo State. So, we are happy to receive him back,” the source said.
Confirming the defection of the ex-deputy governor, Mr. Zadok Akintoye, spokesperson for PDP in the state, told SaharaReporters that the party was prepared to receive him and other defectors mostly from the Zenith Labour Party.
Akintoye said all the defectors have shown enough interest to work with the party, arguing that the opposition party was not aware of any “game” being played by ex-governor Mimiko.
He said, “We will be receiving him in the PDP today (Tuesday) alongside many of his supporters and he has promised to work with us.
“In fact, there are other people who were formerly in the PDP but followed Mimiko to Labour Party and they have expressed interest in coming back to make the party stronger.
“So, those we shall be receiving are coming mostly from the Zenith Labour Party and all leaders of the party are prepared to receive them.”