ONLY AD LAWMAKER, OTHERS DECLARE FOR LP IN ONDO
The only Alliance for Democracy member in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Mr. Abiodun Ogunbi, and some members of the Peoples Democratic Party, as well as the Action Congress on Sunday defected en masse to the ruling Labour Party in Akoko South-West and Akoko North-East local government areas of the state.
At a ceremony presided by the state Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, who was assisted by leaders of the LP in Akungba Akoko, hometown of a former governor of the state, Late Chief Adebayo Adefarati, AD members in their hundreds defected to the LP.
According to the Chairman of the AD in Akoko South-West Local Government Area, Chief Omiyeniyi Akande, who led the entire members of his former party to the LP, their decision to join the Mimiko-led government was predicated on his leadership qualities and the giant strides he had taken in the state within a year in office.
In his address, the National Chairman of the LP, Mr. Dan Nwanyawu, commended Mimiko's style of leadership, which he noted, had led to the influx of thousands of people into the party in the state.
While assuring the new LP members that the party was an all-encompassing one that would not discriminate, he stated that there would be transparency in choosing candidates for various elective positions in next year's elections.
Mimiko, in his speech, extolled Adefarati, whom he described as one of the icons of politics in the country, with a promise to start projects for the road network of the Adekunle Ajasin University sited in Akungba Akoko within the next two weeks.
He also told the people that their health centre would be upgraded to meet international standard.
Also at Ikare Akoko, headquarters of Akoko-North East Local Government Council, Mimiko, while receiving over three thousand new members from the PDP, AC, AD and members of the Mudi Galadima Group (Hausa community) into the LP, stressed that there would be a level playing field for both the old and new members with an admonition for them to contribute their quota to the victory and development of the LP in subsequent elections.
He disclosed that a Caring Heart Model Primary School with state-of-the-art facilities that would accommodate 1000 pupils would soon be constructed in Ikare Akoko.
He added that the work on the ongoing construction of modern market in the ancient town would soon be completed with a warning to street traders to desist from doing so in view of the grave danger in such activities in the town, which had witnessed series of accidents and loss of lives and property.