As the 2020 Ondo gubernatorial election draws near in Ondo state some members of the PDP and Zenith Labour Party have decamped to the APC.
At a mega rally put together by the APC as part of activities to mark the 3rd anniversary of the Akeredolu government in Akure on Saturday, former deputy governor to Governor Mimiko, Lasisi Oluboyo, pioneer chairman of PDP in the state col Samuel Awodeyi ( rtd) were some of the decampees.
Others include former chairman of the state local government service commission, Olabisi Johnson, former commissioner Taye Akinyele, six former concil chairmen as well as others.
The APC had said that these set of leaders were leading 10, 000 of their supporters from the 18 local government areas to the party.
The defecting leaders who were present at the rally said they were encouraged by the performance of the state governor, Arakunrin Oluwaritimi Akeredolu in the last three years and decided to join hands with him to move the state forward.
Speaking on behalf of the decampees, Johnson emphasized the need to work hand in hand with governor Akeredolu who he described as a honest leader whose performance in office has disproved critics.
But the PDP in the state shortly after the ceremony came up with a statement to disown Oluboyo saying that he left PDP with his boss former Dr Olusegun Mimiko to Zenith labour party .
Spokesman for the PDP in the state Zadok Akintoye said If Oluboyo was leaving any party for APC it is Zenith Labour and not PDP.
Also the publicity secretary PDP south west Ayo Fadaka said Baba Awodeyi is 80 years, in the last elections he has been losing his ward to his son who is in APC while the rest decampees, he said have been masquerading.
He said the PDP has not lost anything.