Some political leaders in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State have hinged their defection to the African Democratic Congress from the All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Congress on their desire to liberate the region from neglect by successive administrations.
They made the submissions in separate interviews with newsmen on Sunday after a meeting of the party held at Okeho in Oyo State.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Oke-Ogun Zone is made up of 10 local government areas out of the 33 in the state.
Alhaji Alli Oyedeji, a political leader in the zone, told newsmen that the area had suffered neglect from successive governments in the state in spite of the massive support they all enjoyed from the zone.
Oyedeji, who defected to the ADC from the Peoples Democratic Party, said: “The ADC is ours.
“Our interest in the party is to ensure the progress of this zone, which has long been marginalised in terms of development.
“The type of change we bargained for is not what we are experiencing today.
“Only two out of our 10 local governments partially benefited from this government.”
Hon. Isiaka Salami, a former Caretaker Chairman of Kajola Local Government, also said it was a dawn of a new era having suffered neglect under successive administrations.
Rep. Abiodun Olasupo (ADC-Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa) said the zone had contributed a lot to the political development in the state and Nigeria.
Olasupo, who defected from the APC to the ADC on the floor of the house alongside others, foreclosed any chance of possible reconciliation with his former party.
He said the movement was aimed at liberating the zone from “political slavery,” urging the electorate in the area to register with the ADC.
Hon. Saheed Alaran, a former Iseyin Local Government chieftain, said purposeful change of platform was the best response to neglect and marginalisation.
Alaran stated the ADC had come to stay and the zone would benefit from it, urging members across the state to register with the party.
(NAN)
