A leader of the Obidient Movement and Labour Party chieftain in Oyo State, Mr Sunday Oni, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with thousands of his supporters.
Oni announced his move to the APC in Ibadan on Wednesday, pledging to work with party stakeholders to support all APC candidates in the 2027 general elections.
He was received into the party by the APC State Chairman, Chief Moses Adeyemo, the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, and other leaders, including Hon Aderemi Oseni, the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District.
Addressing supporters at the event, Oni said he played a key role in the alliance that supported Governor Seyi Makinde’s re-election bid in the 2023 election.
He said he later became disappointed with the outcome of the relationship, alleging that the governor failed to fulfil agreements reached with members of the Labour Party despite the risks they took during the election.
Oni said his decision to join the APC was based on his resolve to work with other stakeholders towards the party’s success in the 2027 elections.
He said: ‘Everyone out there appreciates the fact that our Obidient Movement is strong and virile going by what we were able to do for the LP presidential candidate in 2023, Mr. Peter Obi, despite all odds but this time round, our efforts will be channeled in the cause of all APC candidates including President Bola Tinubu, Sen. Sarafadeen Alli, Hon. Remi Oseni and all others.
‘We are swinging into action immediately and I make bold to say that the crowd of LP and Obidient Movement members you are seeing here is just a small fraction of our entire population which cuts across the 33 local government councils in the state.
‘We are not here for the fun of it, we are poised to add value and our impact shall be greatly felt in the areas of mobilization and sensitization of voters in favour of the APC.’
In his address at the event, Sen. Alli eulogized Oni and other promoters of the Obidient Movement in the state for taking a bold step to join the APC which he described as the only party capable of accommodating all patriots across all strata of the society for the purpose of leadership service, democratic growth, development and good governance delivery.
‘Apart from the fact that I grew up on the streets of Ibadan, I have always been conversant with happenings in our dear state in close to 50 years of my adult life.
‘With my high level of experience, expertise and zeal, Oyo State under me as governor from May 29, 2027 would witness a great measure of turnaround such that it would rank among the best three in the country in no time.
‘The youth population will be actively involved in everything we do as a government. Our deputy governorship candidate, Adesoji Adedeji, will be given the opportunity to work in favor of the youth population which he represents while workers, pensioners and other people in the state will have every cause to be comfortable and happy.’ Alli assured.
APC leaders who attended the event included; Rt. Hon. Asimiyu Niran Alarape, Alhaji Taofeek Lamidi, Hon. Fatai Adesina, Dr. Adekemi Opatunde, Hon. Yemi Aderibigbe, Hon. Sola Ogunbode, Olawale Sadare, Hon. Tunde Oloyede, Alh. Shina Alabi, Hon. Sunday Aborisade, Hon. Tunde Elegbede and Comrade Olalekan Oladejo.