The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Ali Olanusi,
who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party
Thursday morning, has given reason for his action.
In a statement Thursday afternoon, Mr. Olanusi
said he decided to join the All Progressives Congress
after realising that the party offers a platform
where he can find justice, fairness and equity.
He said, “While still being in place as the
democratically elected Deputy Governor of Ondo
State, I have decided to lead my teeming supporters
and well wishers in the state into the All Progressive
Congress (APC) where we can find justice, fairness,
equity and democratic liberty, a party to which
majority of our kith and kins in Yorubaland
belongs.
“I have taken this decision at this critical time, in
the best interest of peace, stability and good
governance of our dear state and for the overall
development of the South West and the nation.”
“They (his followers) have watched helplessly in the
last six years years the untold marginalisation and
total exclusion from the government they laboured
to put in place.”
In his response to the development, the Ondo State
Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade,
said, “The state government just received the news
of the defection of Alhaji Ali Olanusi, the Deputy
Governor of Ondo State, to the All Progressives
Congress.
“Though it came as a surprise, government
acknowledge his right to determine his political
affiliation and wish him well.”
Mr. Olanusi is said to have had a frosty relationship
with Governor Olusegun Mimiko for sometime.
He ran with Mr. Mimiko on the platform of the
Labour Party in 2007, becoming deputy governor in
2009 after the Court of Appeal declared Mr. Mimiko
winner of the disputed 2007 governorship election
in the state.
He ran again with Mr. Mimiko on the platform of
the same party in 2014.
In October 2014, the governor and his deputy
defected to the PDP.
Mr. Olanusi’s defection came less than a week after
the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Tele Ikuru, left
the APC for the PDP.
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