Alao-Akala’s aide, others defect to ACN

Former Oyo State governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala
| credits: File copy

The Action Congress of Nigeria in Oyo State on Saturday said it recorded a major boost as an aide of former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala with other Peoples Democratic Party supporters defected to the ACN.

The Commissioner for Finance under the administration of Alao-Akala, Mr. Bayo Bankole, reportedly led about 5,000 supporters in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to the ruling ACN at an event that held at Ikoyi-Ile on Thursday.

In his speech on the occasion, Bankole reportedly said he was “uprooting the PDP from Oriire Local Government and Ogbomosholand in general”

“I literally planted PDP in Ogbomosholand as far back as 1998, way before Alao-Akala became a politician.

“As a matter of fact, I was an integral part of the formation of the PDP in 1998 alongside Chiefs Akinjide, Adeojo and the late Kolapo Ishola,” he said.

According to Bankole, the PDP has been hijacked by people who lack the discipline and the character for running a political party.

He said, “We are leaving the party for them to join a better platform. We cannot co-exist with people who bamboozle our people and do not appreciate the need for progress.

“We have seen the commitment of the ACN in the state and we cannot but team up with the party to ensure speedy development and progress.”

While receiving the new party members, Senator Ayoade Adeseun described Bankole as a big catch for the ACN in Oyo State.

“With this development, the PDP is fast losing grip of the political control of Ogbomosho thought to be Alao-Akala’s stronghold,” Adeseun said.