Ahead of 2023 polls, no fewer than 700 members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kwara State have defected to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

The defectors cut across all the wards in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state.

Some of the defectors, who claimed they belonged to Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Hon. Raheem Olawuyi groups, said the ruling APC government in the state had failed in its quest to provide good leadership since assumption of office in the state.

Speaking at the event in Omu-Aran weekend, the leader of one of the defecting groups, Queen Odufu, said: “I used to be a member of Lai Mohammed Forum, but now, I am a member of PDP and I pray that the Almighty God makes 2023 victorious for PDP.

“We are more than 200 from my forum in Ajase-Ipo ward that have today defected from APC to PDP. We promise to be faithful to the party.

“We will use all our energies as I did in APC to work for the victory of PDP in the 2023 elections in the state,” they said.

Receiving the defectors, a PDP chieftain and former member of House of Representatives, Hon. Gbenga Makanjuola, said: “Most of the defectors are grassroots mobilisers.

“We are happy to have these calibre of people joining our party. This goes to show that we can now know the difference between the right and left as well as differentiate between light and darkness.

“The defectors told us that honour, integrity and family membership of PDP attracted them to the party. They also most especially, believe in the leadership qualities of former Senate President Bukola Saraki. They think it is time for them to belong to where God belongs,” he said.

Makanjuola is confident that PDP would come back to power in the 2023 elections.

“I have no doubt about the ability of our party to wrestle power back at both the state and federal levels come 2023. The situation currently in the country speaks for itself. People are looking for alternative platform. People are looking for someone who can champion the cause of good governance, PDP is equal to the task,” he concluded.

(THISDAY)

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