Former Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Segun Oni has clarified that his defection to the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) was not motivated by desperate quest to be governor in 2022.
Oni said he decided to return to his former party owing to alleged discrimination against his supporters by All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ekiti, adding that his defection with his supporters was “justifiable and not self-serving.”
The former Ekiti governor made the clarification on Thursday while addressing newsmen through Dr Ife Arowosoge. the Director-General of his political platform, “Atunse Ekiti Movement”.
He stated that the decision to leave APC was part of the collective resolution taken by his loyalists in view of the alleged maltreatment being inflicted on them in APC.
Recall that Oni and his supporters across the 16 local government areas of Ekiti on March 15 defected to the PDP.
He described the opposition as better organised and more democratic than it was in the past, saying “PDP has learnt its lessons from the defeat of 2015 General Elections.
“It was our observation at the meeting with our loyalists, that Ekiti APC does not believe in democracy from the ward, local government and state levels.
“Many of our members were threatened with expulsion and suspension. Why some handpicked ward executives were instigated to suspend Oni indefinitely.
“We sent a petition to the National Working Committee, (NWC) about this action, but nothing was done.
“For all these, “Atunse Ekiti” sees no future for its members in APC because of deep-rooted impunity and display of hatred for Segun Oni.”
However, the Ekiti APC’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Ade Ajayi, in a swift reaction, said the party never gave Oni any unfair treatment, rather he was accorded the necessary respect and recognition when he joined the party in 2014.
“We are not surprised that he is going back to PDP where he came from, but I do not know of any shabby treatment that made him defect to PDP.
“He was suspended from his political ward because he offended them and instead of him to attend the ward meeting to explain himself, he refused.
“Do not forget the constitution of the party stipulated that anybody, no matter how highly placed can be disciplined by the party,” Ajayi said.
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