Osun Assembly Member Defects To PDP
Member representing Ila State Constituency in Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Clement Akanni on Thursday, dumped the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Babalola, who was one of the aspirants that contested APC governorship primary, in a letter addressed to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, said he resigned to pursue other endeavors.
Speaking in the palace of the Orangun of Ila Akanni, said he was forced out of the ruling party by some people that were uncomfortable with his approach to politics, adding that he was not comfortable with some decision taken by APC that were detrimental to the yearnings of Ila people.
Akanni said: “Our College of Education used to have 33,000 students, it now has less than 2,000. APC promised to upgrade our institution to university.
“Rather than do that, the current government through its policies is gradually killing the institution. When government wanted to downsize the workforce in the state-owned higher institutions, 73 names were selected from College of Education, Ila, while 38 names were penciled down for retrenchment from Ilesa College of Education.
“I vehemently resisted this. I told my colleagues in the House of Assembly that Ilesa College has more staffers than lla, yet has lesser number of staffers that would be retrenched.
“Whenever I tried to positively influence government policies to favour my constituents, some people in APC would said no. Two of my followers were killed through fetish means. I can’t continue with a party full of devilish individuals.”
Speaking on behalf of Ila Community, Chief Ejemu of Ila, Paul Ogunrinade, demanded upgrade of Ila College of Education to university, urging Adeleke, if elected governor to also pay attention to all roads that link Ila to Ekiti and Kwara states.
Addressing the rally held in front of Igbonibi Hall, where Akanni and his followers were received into PDP, the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, said he has fulfilled all promises he made before being elected Senator last year.
If elected governor, Adeleke promised to implement policies that would make life better for the people of the state.
