Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, says he is confident that All Progressives Congress will defeat the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the 2026 governorship election in Osun State.
The former governor of Osun State said this when he received prominent members of the PDP into APC on Friday.
Thos received into the party in Osogbo, the state capital, included Dotun Babayemi, a former governorship aspirant, and Shuaibu Oyedokun, a former Deputy National Chairman.
The Minister urged members of the APC to welcome the new members into the party without any discrimination.
Oyetola said: “It is an irony that we lost an election over a year ago and there has been no major defection from the party.
“What we have is the reverse.
“It is the ruling party that is coming to us, which shows that APC remains a party to beat.
“We have done so well, and people are starting to see that when it comes to governance, the progressive knows how to.
“Alhaji Shuiabu and Dotun Babayemi were members of the APC, but now they have seen the difference between progressive and conservative and they are back in to the party.”
In his remarks, Tajudeen Lawal, the APC Chairman in the state, said Babayemi and other defectors would enjoy equal opportunity as the old members.
“Your decision to defect into the APC is a wise choice which was influenced by God Almighty who has been your political pathfinder as the APC is a party of the people,” Lawal said.
In his remarks, Babayemi said he joined the opposition party with his entire political network and members of his Atunto group.
He said: “Since Oyetola left governance, things have been terrible in Osun.
“We need to strive to ensure that the APC government returns to Osun.
“From today, it is an APC meeting from ward to local councils and to the state level.”
Speaking on why he left the PDP, Oyedokun said the ideals of the founding fathers of the main opposition party had been sorely contaminated.
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While welcoming the new members, Akinsola Basiru, the APC National Secretary, urged the defectors not to behave like strangers, saying: “I welcome you into our party on behalf of the National Working Committee.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that APC flags were presented to Oyedokun and other defectors.
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