A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ogun State, Jimi Lawal, has defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the March 11 governorship elections.
Track News learnt that Lawal and his supporters joined the ruling APC on Sunday, and were received by the Ogun Governor, Dapo Abiodun, six days before the gubernatorial poll.
He dumped the PDP for the APC, after losing the governorship ticket to Ladi Adebutu, who was recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Recall that the former aide to Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State had joined the PDP in 2022 and obtained the party’s governorship form to become the state governor.
Lawal, however, lost to Adebutu in the primary election and instituted various court cases against Adebutu and the party over the conduct of the election, but he failed at the appellate court.
Reacting to the development, the Director of Media, Ladi Adebutu Campaign Organisation, Afolabi Orekoya, said the PDP was not surprised by Lawal’s defection to the APC.
Speaking with Daily Post, Orekoya said Lawal and his cohorts were sponsored by Governor Dapo Abiodun to hijack and destabilize the PDP in order to achieve his second-term ambition.
According to him, Lawal rejected all the peace offerings to join Adebutu to give victory to the PDP in the forthcoming governorship poll in the state.
He, therefore, said the PDP remains resolute and determined to win Saturday’s election, with God and the electorate on its side, adding that God has exposed one of the enemies of the party.
He said, “Lawal has been a mole sponsored by Dapo Abiodun and his co-travelers to hijack and destabilize the PDP in the state in order to achieve his second-term ambition.”
“He filed dozens of frivolous applications against the PDP and Hon Adebutu, but to the glory of God, it all ended in futility. Even the court expressed worry over Jimi Lawal’s desperation to keep PDP out of the polls by all means. Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court, in a judgment in December 2022, labeled Jimi Lawal as a spoiler.
“He has failed and failed woefully. For us, it’s good riddance to bad rubbish and we are glad that God has exposed one of the enemies of the party.”
