A former member of the House of Representatives, Bode Ayorinde, has disclosed that former governorship candidates, Eyitayo Jegede and Agboola Ajayi, are among the political heavyweights backing the new coalition under the African Democratic Congress in Ondo State.

Ayorinde made the revelation on Tuesday during the inaugural meeting of the ADC-led coalition held in Akure, the state capital.

The coalition, according to him, comprises chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, the Social Democratic Party, the Lab’ur Party, the ADC, and other opposition blocs in the state.

He said, “I’m happy that our number is increasing; we must work together.

” I’m not interested in party positions, I’m not going for elective positions. I wish both aspiring for positions the best of luck.”

“Ondo State will first take advantage of the ADC in the next governorship election. Let all leaders at the ward levels play politics of inclusion.

“We started with 25 members at our first meeting, but now we are over 300. It shows the failure of the ruling party.

“Eyitayo Jegede, Agboola Ajayi are also part of us. They are also with us. It is a state coalition, we are united together.”

Ayorinde further noted that Senator Nicholas Tofowomo, a former PDP chairman, Tola Alabere, and ex-spokesman of the PDP in the state, Kennedy Peretei, had also joined the coalition.

In his remarks, Peretei described the development as a major political shift, saying key players across party lines were already aligning under the ADC platform.

“You heard Prof. Ayorinde. He mentioned names. Big names.

“But it’s not even about the big names. It’s about the situation we find ourselves in this state.

“Initially, people said national problems do not translate to collapsing party structures into the ADC.

” But in Ondo State, I know two local governments that have already collapsed their structures for the ADC.

“If you say PDP, you say no. PDP doesn’t exist anymore. It’s ADC that exists. And you see it here,” Peretei said.

Peretei added that the APC was under intense pressure from within, noting that even some appointees of the party were fuelling internal crisis.

“The biggest fear in the last two months has been whether Nigeria is sliding into a one-party state.

“Now, nobody is talking about that. And those in the villa are attacking us, attacking personalities, which shows how much heat is on the APC.

“In one week, look at the reaction. What happens if it becomes six weeks?

” After today, there will be ripples in this state. Some people will begin to say no. But whatever it is, it’s about people, not individuals.

“There are members of the APC appointed to this cabinet.

“So, there’s a lot of bad blood in the APC, which we are going to take maximum advantage of. Nigerians should expect what’s coming next,” Peretei said.

Also speaking, a former secretary of the SDP in the state, Dr Bisi Agboola, said the coalition was a response to the worsening socio-economic condition in the country and the dominance of the ruling party.

Agboola said,”People who are identified as political technocrats are invited, and that is why people like us are here.

“Everybody is distraught, nobody is satisfied at all.

” I want to see a situation where rice will come back to N5,000 a bag, petrol will be N165 per litre, that’s what we are clamouring for.”

Agboola stressed that defeating the APC would not be possible without a coalition.

“We don’t have to deceive ourselves. No single party can defeat APC anywhere in this country.

“As a matter of fact, the coalition must be serious and focused before it can unseat this ruling party because they are firmly rooted.

“But by the special grace of God, and by this prayer, that God will listen to the yearnings and aspirations of the oppressed, APC shall be uprooted. And come 2027, this coalition will be a success,” Agboola concluded. (The PUNCH)