Lai Mohammed’s Kwara APC loyalists defect to SDP

Loyalists of the Minister of Information and Culture in the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State have defected to the Social Democratic Party.

The Lai Mohammed loyalists known as “APC Loyal” announced their move to the SDP in a press briefing on Saturday.

The new members who have rebranded their former APC secretariat on 26, Abdulrasaq Road, Flower Garden, GRA, Ilorin was received by SDP National Chairman, Dr. Olu Agunloye.

The new secretariat was also adorned with posters of members interested in contesting 2023 elections on the platform of the SDP.

Speaking on behalf of the new defectors, Kwara-South Senatorial chairman of the “APC Loyal” faction, Mr Rasak Alabi, who spoke on behalf of the defecting members, said they leaving the APC because of the allegiance of the new national chairman of the party with Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

“Despite our endurance in the face of the inhuman treatment meted to us in the party, it will be correct to suggest that the Kwara State governor, working in tandem with the former National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Mallam Mai Mala Buni has decided to edge us out of the party against our wish.

“And to make matters worse, Senator Abdulahi Adamu, who once headed the party’s National Reconciliation Committee, has denied us fair hearing but rather turned himself to Governor AbdulRazaq’s solicitor and advocate, is now the party’s national chairman. How then can we be hopeful of getting justice in this circumstance?

“We do not think we have a future in this party any longer and it will be safer for us to look elsewhere where our democratic views and opinions will be respected,” he said.

“If the national leadership of the party does not believe that we are politically relevant in the state, we need to make them understand also that the man they que behind is also a blown fuse and not capable of leading the party to any victory in the state, come 2023.

“Seated with us at this press briefing are all the 193 ward chairmen, 16 local government chairmen and all the State Working Committee members who have jointly decided with our numerous supporters to announce to you today our official defection and mass movement of our supporters and party members from the APC to the Social Democratic Party,” Alabi added.

SDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Rufus Ayeni, who represented Dr Agunloye welcome the new members into the party.

“I pity them for losing you to us. It’s a pleasure to receive this mammoth crowd to a party that is poised to take over government in 2023.

“The SDP is spreading fast across the country. We have four presidential aspirants now and it is the only party having a very strong female presidential aspirant in the country today,” he said.