Seven lawmakers in the Ogun State House of Assembly, who were loyalists of serving senator representing Ogun Central, former Governor Ibikunle Amosun, yesterday night dumped their party and returned to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
They were representing the Allied Progressives Congress (APM), which is Amosun’s pet political party, at the state assembly.
Amosun had objected to the choice of now Governor Dapo Abiodun during the 2019 governorship election.
The discord led Amosun into forming the APM where he fielded Adekunle Akinlade to run as governor, but Abiodun won at the poll.
Abiodun, while receiving the seven APM members of the assembly into the APC, urged them to be loyal to the party and work towards realising “the Building the Future Together” agenda of the state government.
Speaking while receiving the defecting lawmakers, who were led to him by the Speaker of the House, Hon. Kunle Oluomo, in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Abiodun stressed the need for all members to be loyal and contribute to the development of the state.
Abiodun who described the lawmakers’ move as “home coming”, said, “it is a thing of joy to have a member of the family that had left home as a result of disagreement, to return home”.
“You have not come back through coercion or by force. Remember you will be criticised for coming back. In line with our inclusive and participatory policy, we welcome you.
“You will recall that we have not discriminated against you in the past 18 months even while you were not with us. We will ensure you enjoy all the benefits that our members enjoy”, he promised.
The governor expressed the hope that by welcoming back into the fold of the party, would not regret the inclusiveness policy of his administration, urging the defectors to work hard to strengthen the party in the State and the administration to deliver on its mandate to the people.
The governor also used the occasion to appreciate the entire members of the House, attributing the modest achievements recorded so far to the continued support of the lawmakers in the last one and a half years
