Osun Decide 2022: PDP loyalists defect to APC in Ede home town of Adeleke … Oyetola’s record of achievement is unprecedented

By Oluwayemisi Oloyede

No less than a thousand loyalists of the opposition party  the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Egbedore Local Government Area of the Constituency.

Governor Gboyega Oyetola and the State APC chairman, Gboyega Famodun received the defectors into the party during the strategic engagement tour of the Governor to Ede Federal Constituency,

The defectors who attributed their decision to the modest achievements the Oyetola-led Administration has recorded in the last three years said they resolved to join the ruling party so as to be part of the success story.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Mr. Bamidele Sunday, said they were motivated to join the progressive party in the State, having seen and attested to the good works and tremendous achievements of Governor Oyetola.

This is even as Ogiyan of Ejigbo, Oba Omowonuola Oyeyode Oyesosin, Alawo of Awo, Oba Abdul-Rasaq Ajibade Abioye, and the Alayemore of Ido-Osun, Oba Aderemi Adedapo, pledged their solidarity and support for the Governor, saying his “return for second term non-negotiable”.

The monarchs who appeared very elated and enthusiastic to receive the Governor in their domains, said they have already passed a resolution to work for his second term as there was no need changing a winning team.

They said the Governor has performed creditably well to earn a second term and continued royal support, having outweighed his predecessors in taking the welfare and general well-being of the masses, particularly the traditional rulers as priority.

Speaking in his palace, Ogiyan of Ejigbo, Oba Omowonuola Oyeyode Oyesosin, lauded the Governor for his remarkable achievements in the last three years.

Ogiyan who described Oyetola as a welfarist and an administror par excellence, said, “I have never seen a Governor like you since I have been on earth”

Oba Oyesosin thanked the Governor for reconstructing Osogbo-Ejigbo road and for revitalising Ejigbo General Hospital which he said had been abandoned for years before his intervention.

The reverred monarch stated further, “Since I have been on earth, I have never seen a Governor like Oyetola. I have spent 48 years on the throne and since my enthronement, I have never seen a man or Governor like you. You have done so well for me, my town, the Council and for the State. I am also Gboyega because your name has reflected in all you do, you have been doing great since assumption of office.

“We should do everything to support him. He has done many things that deserve prayers. Your good works will speak for you. It is God that makes kings or leaders. We are grateful to God for giving us a man like you to serve at this moment. Your second term ambition is a walk over as long as Ejigbo, and by extension, Osun, is concerned.

“We want Ejigbo to Iwo road to be rehabilitated. We want the Faculty of Agriculture, the satellite campus of UNIOSUN in Ejigbo to become a full-fleged University of Agriculture. We thank you for equipping the General Hospital that you gave us. We appreciate the fire service station and we want them to be well equipped.

“We thank you for the Osogbo-Ejigbo road that you have reconstructed for us. What we used to hear before your emergence was there was no money. We don’t know where you are getting money from. I am with you, I have aligned with you, I have queued behind you and I will continue to do everything to support you.”

In the same vein, Alawo of Awo, Oba Abdul-Rasaq Ajibade Adegboye Abioye, lauded the Governor for being resolute and committed to the people’s welfare since assumption of office.

Oba Abioye who enumerated some of the achievements of the Governor in the State in general and Egbedore Local Government Area in particular, disclosed that all the traditional rulers have resolved to work for him for second term.

He said: “You are a prophet. It is God that chose you for us. You are God-sent at this moment in view of what you have been doing for us. You have done well. There are lots of things to point at in the State in terms of real development across sectors. Our council is not left behind in your Developmental Agenda and we are grateful for this.

“We have no choice but to support you because you have convinced us with your commitment to transform our State and give Osun particularly the state capital, Osogbo, a facelift of genuine development.

“Our resolution is that you will be returned and nothing can change this. To us, once a team is doing well, there is no reason to change the winning team. Indeed, you have a listening ear, you have demonstrated this several times. You listen to everyone irrespective of status. We are proud of you. You are going to spend your eight years by the grace of God.”

In their separate remarks, Alayemore of Ido-Osun, Oba Aderemi Adedapo and the Aragberi of Iragberi, Oba Folorunsho Agboade Makanju, appreciated the Governor for the good works his Administration has been doing.

“Your immense contributions to the growth and development of traditional institution are unprecedented. You have done well and there is no negotiation in your re-election. You have been part of the modest achievements we have recorded. Your achievements are there as testimonial for all to see and believe strongly that your good works will earn you your return. We are not blind and we can all see your support all over the State.

“You have our support all the time because if we don’t support you, it shows that we are ingrates and as a matter of fact, you deserve to be returned. It is our collective belief that you will do more and more for us”, Aragberi added.

Alayemore said: “We have never had it so good like this. If we look at what we have had since 2018, it has been so good. I can assure you with all sense of sincerity that your second term project is a done deal and a completed project.

“You are a man of greatness and an achiever. You are a man of good character, integrity and honour. Since I have been on the throne about 20 years ago, no sitting Governor has ever come to visit us at the place of our monthly meeting except you. This means a lot to us. And we thank you for what you are doing in Ido-Osun in terms of infrastructure, among others.

Addressing the traditional rulers in their palaces and members of his party at Awo and Ejigbo, Governor Oyetola expressed satisfaction at the warmth reception he has been given by the people of the State, particularly since the commencement of the strategic engagement tour.

He lauded the defectors for taking a bold step to defect to the ruling party just as he assured them of equal opportunity and treatment.

Governor Oyetola who urged the members of the party to troop out in large number on Saturday for the party’s primary, noted that with God on his side, he was confident of victory as there’s no need of changing the winning team.