In a significant political development, former House of Representatives member Shina Peller and thousands of Accord Party members from Oyo North Senatorial District have officially joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State.
The defection ceremony took place on Thursday, marking a notable shift in the region’s political landscape.
The event, held at Ode-Oba, Iseyin, in the Iseyin Local Government Area, saw the state Governor, Seyi Makinde, welcoming the new members into the PDP fold.
Governor Makinde, represented by his Deputy, Bayo Lawal, expressed his pleasure at the influx of new members, emphasizing the strength in unity and the party’s commitment to inclusive governance.
Shina Peller, who initially won his seat in the House of Representatives representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Iwajowa/Kajola Federal Constituency under the All Progressives Congress (APC) banner in 2019, made a switch to the Accord Party in 2023.
In the elections, he sought the Oyo North Senatorial ticket but was defeated by the PDP candidate, Fatai Buhari.
According to Peller, the decision to join the PDP was influenced by Governor Makinde’s exemplary leadership and the governance model he has implemented in the state.
Peller praised the governor’s approach to leadership and development, which he described as a significant factor in his decision to align with the PDP.
He said, “When I wanted to contest Senatorial in APC, they said we are too small, but I thank God, today we are in the right party, a big party. If you look at Nigeria today, we are so endowed, but lack of leadership is our problem.
“Nigeria is endowed with both human and natural resources but these resources have failed to translate to reality. So, there is no leadership when there is no leader.
“Seyi is a visionary leader, that’s why I joined the party.
“I have seen the reason to align with the vision of Makinde. There is no leadership when there is no vision. And we have seen the good work Makinde has done in this zone, Oke-Ogun. It has never happened in the history of Oyo North Senatorial district.
“From Moniya to Iseyin; Oyo to Iseyin; Ogbomoso to Iseyin and so on. It has never happened before. So, if you have a visionary leader like him, you have to support him. That’s why we have decided to join Governor Makinde and the PDP to move the state forward.
“It is good to go to where you are valued. PDP has shown that they value us. Our father has been clamouring for a tertiary institution for the past 70 years, Makinde gave us an institution. What of infrastructural facilities? He gave us. So, I want to announce that thousands of Accord Party members in the 13 Local Governments made up of Oyo North Senatorial district are here. They are here to join PDP. Wards Chairmen; Local Government Chairmen; women leaders; and also Senatorial district chairman are all here to defect to the ruling PDP because of the visionary leader of Makinde. I want to appeal to other political parties to join us to move the state forward, and I pray that we will not regret it.
“Some people came and asked: Why do I want to join PDP? And I said, I need power to move forward, I need power to progress, that’s why I joined PDP.”
Makinde, while handing over the flag of the PDP to Peller, said, “You will not regret joining the PDP. Now that Peller has joined this party, we must not hear another party in Iseyin in particular, or in Oke Ogun in general.
“I want to advise our PDP executives in local governments to cooperate with them. The ward chairmen and local government chairmen of our PDP should give them a chance to operate.
“You should accommodate them because the local government election is fast approaching, so we should all join hands together to make sure that we clear all 33 local governments in the state.”
Dignitaries include the PDP South-West Chairman, Kamorudeen Ajisafe; the Lagos State PDP Governorship candidate in 2023, Olajide Adediran (Jandor); former Minister of Power and Steel, Wole Oyelese; former Oyo State PDP Chairman, Kunmi Mustafa; current member of the House of Representatives, representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Iwajowa/Kajola Federal Constituency in Oyo State, Abayomi Oyedeji; former Chief of Staff to late former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, Saka Balogun; Nureni Akanbi; Senator Gbenga Babalola; Ahmed Gbadamosi; Gbadebo Adetoro; Ali Oyedeji; the Special Adviser to Governor Makinde on Federal Constituency Matters, Dare Adeleke; and a host of others.
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