DAILY POST
The ranks of the All Progressives Congress (APC) further swelled in Ekiti State on Monday, as Governor Biodun Oyebanji received the former female governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the 2022 election, Engr Kemi Elebute-Halle, into the ruling party.
At the carnival-like event, Oyebanji assured the defector and her supporters that their future and political careers are guaranteed in the party.
The governor gave the assurance on Monday when Elebute-Halle and hundreds of her supporters officially dumped ADP and joined the ruling party.
Elebute-Halle was the candidate of the ADP in the June 18, 2022 governorship election, won by Governor Oyebanji in the state.
Receiving the defectors, Oyebanji, represented by the Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, described the APC as the most democratic party in the country in terms of better welfare packages for the masses.
Allaying fears, Oyebanji stated that nobody will be allowed to discriminate against or deprive the defectors of their fundamental rights as members under his leadership.
Oyebanji said the ranks of the APC have continued to swell due to the populist governance and people-centric policies and programs his government has initiated to bring relief to the masses since he assumed office.
He congratulated Mrs. Elebute-Halle and her numerous supporters for joining the APC, saying the party is unique in terms of inclusivity, welfare, and the dividends of democracy provided to members and citizens at large.
“Let me assure you that Governor Oyebanji and the party leaders will provide you with every opportunity to realize your ambition in the APC. Our party is for all Nigerians, and it is the only party that prioritizes the interest of Nigerians above other narrow interests.
“The APC is the most democratic party in Nigeria and also considers women and youth as strategic partners in the decision-making process.
“Try to have confidence in the leaders of the APC and maintain good rapport with all members of this great party. No one can discriminate against you, because the party is above any individual interest, so we can work together and achieve our goals,” he assured.
Speaking about the giant strides being made by the government to uplift the people’s spirits, Oyebanji said: “Within this short period, the governor has addressed the six pillars of his administration. He has brought great progress and development, as he promised when he took over the mantle of leadership.”
Handing over the party’s flag to the defectors, the National Chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, described the leader of the defectors as a heavyweight politician who will add value to the APC.
Ganduje, represented by the APC Acting Chairman in Ekiti State, Hon. Sola Elesin, assured that all the defectors will be given unrestricted opportunities to realize their ambitions in the APC without hindrance.
“We have no new members in the APC. We are one and equal. You are welcome to our party on behalf of our National Working Committee, led by Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. The APC is a party of progress, and we shall go the extra mile to bring people of substance like you into our fold.”
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Chief Jide Awe, boasted that the APC will continue to dominate the polity because it is populated by progressive-minded people.
“We are ready to go to the mountaintop and valleys to woo people who value progress into this party. The APC stands for progress, which is why we are different from others. And we don’t put barriers in anyone’s way to realize their ambition; our party is for all.”
