Ex-governorship aspirant, commissioner resign from PDP in Ondo

Banji Okunomo, a former governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Ondo state has resigned from the party.

Others who also resigned from the party include Bisi Ilawole, former commissioner of the oil-producing areas development commission (OSOPADEC), Solomon Bitire, former chairman of Okitipupa LGA, Jossy Ehinmore, director-general of the presidential campaign council in Ilaje LGA and Malo Olorunwa, a former counsellor.

The PDP in the state has been rocked by a glee of defections in recent weeks.

Speaking on behalf of those who resigned from the party, Okunomo said they took the decision after meeting with their supporters.

“This is only one of the many batches of decampees set to leave the party in the next few days to dissociate themselves from the ill-conceived decision (of the PDP) to challenge the 2023 presidential election results in court,” he said.

“SERIAL DECAMPEES”

Meanwhile, reacting to the development in a statement, Kennedy Peretei, PDP publicity secretary in Ondo, said the party is not bothered.

While describing them as “serial decampees”, Peretei said some of those leaving the party couldn’t win their polling units in the February 25 elections.

“The PDP Ondo state chapter has received reports of some serial decampees leaving the party with equanimity,” the statement reads.

“In the last 18 months, these same characters have moved in and out of the PDP twice which is a confirmation of their nomadic essence as politicians.

“Most of them who got promotions beyond their capacities by the PDP have consistently lost their polling units to other political parties during elections.

“They have always been trailed by failure in their opportunistic and self-serving inordinate ambitions that drive their insatiable desire for crumbs from the master’s table.

“In all honesty, why should the PDP lose sleep over the exit of such colourless, inconsequential, and serial decampees?

“It won’t be any surprise if they are treated as political prostitutes wherever they may go. Our party can only wish them the best of luck in their sojourn. In any case, any time they wish to come back, our doors are open. Now that they have established that, they are political herdsmen.”