ADC denies defection claims of members in Kwara
By Saka Laaro, Ilorin
The Kwara State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has debunked the claim by Senator Suleiman Makanjuola Ajadi that all the House of Assembly candidates and the structure of the ADC have collapsed into to All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ajadi, ADC Senatorial Candidate for Kwara South in 2023 general election had defected from the ADC to the APC.
State Chairman of ADC, Prince Akadi Adebayo in a statement issued to journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State Capital, said majority of committed members of the party, House of Assembly candidates and governorship candidate of the party remained resolute on contesting the March 18 election on the platform of ADC.
He urged all members of the party and candidates to disregard the false and misleading information, mentioning it did not emanated from the party.
The statement read in part “The attention of the State chapter of African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been drawn to the purported Press release issued by Senator Ajadi on 7th of March 2023.
“Ajadi claimed to have decamped from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to All Progressives Congress (APC) and all the House of Assembly candidates and the structure of the ADC have collapsed into APC.
“While the party recognises and respects the right of individual members of the party like Senator Ajadi to change political parties, the party hereby noted that majority of committed members of the party, house of assembly candidates and Governorship candidate of the party remained resolute on contesting the March 11 election on the platform of ADC.
“All members of the party and candidates are therefore advised to disregard the false and misleading information having not emanated from the party.
“The party recalled how it accommodated Senator Ajadi to contest Kwara south Senatorial election on its platform and the litigation it went through at the instance of APC alleging wrongful defection by Senator Ajadi to ADC.
“The recent and usual development is not therefore surprising to the party (ADC).”
It would be recalled that Senator Ajadi had announced that he will be working with other progressives in the State to re-elect Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrahman who he said remains the best option for Kwara State for the next four years.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Senator also said he and his team have decided to return to the APC as he is not given to politics of zero sum and perpetual bitterness.
“My supporters and i have put the National Election behind us. We cannot be accused of not exercising our democratic rights. However, it is time to move on as democrats. Consequently, I am hereby directing my supporters to work conscientiously for the re-election of Governor Abdulrazaq who, in all fairness and in the estimation of the overwhelming majority of our people, has done his best within the circumstances of our State to rebuild Kwara State to an enviable height. He is therefore the best man on the ballot for the office of Governor, and i am directing my supporters and the people of our state to support him,” the statement stated.
“I also have the mandate of majority of our candidates, especially those from Kwara South, to announce our return and collapse of our structures into the APC.
“Whatever the misgivings anyone may have, i have come to the conclusion that any vote against the Governor at this time would amount to setting our state back several decades. I do not want to be on the wrong side of history, hence my decision to make this public declaration of support for the re-election of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq,” Senator Ajadi had said.
