Oke

A former governorship candidate in Ondo State, Olusola Oke, has defected to the All Progressives Congress.

Oke, who was the candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the 2016 Ondo governorship election, defected to the ruling APC, in Akure, the state capital on Thursday.

The politician and his teeming supporters were received back into the APC at a rally held at the MKO Abiola Democracy Park in the state capital.

Oke had defected from the APC to the AD in 2016 after he lost the governorship primary elections of the APC in the state to Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who went on to become governor.

Four years earlier, Oke, who is also a legal practitioner, was the People Democratic Party’s candidate in the 2012 gubernatorial election, but he was defeated by the then incumbent governor, Olusegun Mimiko, of the Labour Party.

On Thursday, he informed his supporters that he returned to the APC in order to bring his experience to bear in building a new Ondo State.

He said, “At this time in our state and our nation, there is need for all forces to come together to build a very viral, strong economy, state and federation.

“My friend who emerged at the last contest as the governor of this state requires all the support to surmount the daunting problems confronting the state.

“I believe that he should not be left alone, I have therefore decided to repitch my tent with the APC in order to bring my experience, vision, dream and desire, put all at the doorsteps of the government of the state so that together, we can build a new Ondo State.”

The Acting Chairman of APC in the state, Ade Adetimehin, said with the return of Oke to the APC, the AD had ceased to exist in the state.

He added that the APC is the party to beat in Ondo State, and that more members of other parties are going to defect to the party.