The Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party’s spokesman, Hakeem Amode, has dumped his party for the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Amode, along with other PDP chieftains announced their defection at a news conference on Monday in Ikeja, Lagos.

He disclosed that he and other defectors were motivated and inspired by the visionary leadership of the 2023 PDP governorship candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, who had earlier moved to the APC.

“It is with great honour and a profound sense of responsibility that we stand before you today to announce a pivotal decision; one that marks a significant turning point not just for us as individuals, but for many committed political stakeholders who have journeyed with us over the years.

“Today, we have decided to collapse the entire PDP structure in Lagos State, from ward to the state level , to allign with His Excellency Jandor to decamp en masse to the APC.

“The PDP, both at the national and state levels, has lost its way.

“The party has deviated from the founding ideals that once made it the largest and most respected political platform in Africa.

“Today, its future is riddled with tension and uncertainty.

“The PDP is in a coma and may not survive unless urgent measures are taken,” Amode said.

According to him, the tenure of the defectors within the PDP had been lengthy and eventful, characterised by both achievements and setbacks.

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He said that majority of the defectors had the privilege of serving the PDP in various capacities, worked for change and did their best for their former party

He said, “However, after thorough introspection and extensive consultation, we believe it is time to chart a new course.

“This decision has not been made lightly.

“It reflects our commitment to taking control of our political destinies in order to better serve our people and the loyal supporters who continue to stand by us.”

Amode said that the PDP in Lagos, under the leadership of Philip Aivoji, had been fractured and disunited.

“Poor leadership and a lack of cohesion have cost us dearly

“Today, we, alongside several former PDP candidates at various levels, national, local government executives, ward leaders, and key stakeholders across Lagos, formally resign from the PDP and align ourselves with the APC.

“We have submitted our letters of resignation to our respective ward chairmen, local government chairmen, and the state leadership of the PDP,” he said.

“Today, we have decided to collapse the entire PDP structure in Lagos State, from ward to the state level , to allign with His Excellency Jandor to decamp en masse to the APC.

“The PDP, both at the national and state levels, has lost its way.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Moment Tinubu Observed Akwa Ibom Gov’s Defection To APC

“The party has deviated from the founding ideals that once made it the largest and most respected political platform in Africa.

“Today, its future is riddled with tension and uncertainty.

“The PDP is in a coma and may not survive unless urgent measures are taken,” Amode said.

According to him, the tenure of the defectors within the PDP had been lengthy and eventful, characterised by both achievements and setbacks.

He said that majority of the defectors had the privilege of serving the PDP in various capacities, worked for change and did their best for their former party

He said, “However, after thorough introspection and extensive consultation, we believe it is time to chart a new course.

“This decision has not been made lightly.

“It reflects our commitment to taking control of our political destinies in order to better serve our people and the loyal supporters who continue to stand by us.”

Amode said that the PDP in Lagos, under the leadership of Philip Aivoji, had been fractured and disunited.

“Poor leadership and a lack of cohesion have cost us dearly.

READ ALSO: Edo Senator, Neda Imasuen Defects To APC, Says LP In Shreds, No Direction

“Today, we, alongside several former PDP candidates at various levels, national, local government executives, ward leaders, and key stakeholders across Lagos, formally resign from the PDP and align ourselves with the APC.

“We have submitted our letters of resignation to our respective ward chairmen, local government chairmen, and the state leadership of the PDP,” he said.

Amode, who noted that the decision to leave the PDP was not driven by personal ambition, clarified that defecting to the APC was to serve the society better.

“We are determined to work with our new partners in the APC to deliver the true dividends of democracy to every corner of our great state.”

Safurat Abdulkareem, a two-time State PDP deputy governorship candidate, said that the defectors were determined to follow the progressives to make the state better.

Also speaking, a former state PDP Deputy Chairman, Chief Ola Apena, said the PDP had no relevance in the state anymore.

“The PDP is dead. There is no more PDP.

“The party is in complete limbo and we don’t know whether it will be up,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of 2023 PDP state House of Assembly candidates, Mr Ibrahim Balogun, who flew the party’s flag in Kosofe, said he wasted time by staying in the PDP for 18 years.

“We will work for Tinubu in 2027. We are going en masse into the APC.

READ ALSO: Akwa Ibom Commissioner Resigns After Gov’s Defection To APC

“Jandor is a visionary leader to follow because he is a man of the people,” Balogun said.

Jandor, who congratulated the defectors, said, ” We have successfully collapsed the entire structure of the PDP into the APC now.

“There is no point in belonging to a political party that has no determination and purpose of winning elections. The PDP is a social club, not interested in winning.

“Lagos State PDP leadership is ensuring that the party does not win and the party had been doing this for over two decades now, wasting people’s destiny.

“I congratulate these PDP leaders for joining me in the APC.

“The PDP is a sinking ship. In Nigeria of today, there is no other viable platform apart from the APC,” Adediran said.

Other PDP leaders, who dumped the party for the APC included Prince Rufus Adeniyi, a former PDP Assistant State Organising Secretary (Lagos West) and Mr Jerry Afemikhe (Olori Odo), a former PDP House of Representatives Candidate in Surulere Constituency I.

Some 2023 PDP Lagos State House of Assembly candidates who dumped the party included Messrs Keshinro Abiodun (Epe 1);Akeem Jinadu, (Eti-Osa 1); Ibrahim Balogun (Kosofe 2).

Messrs Taofeek Obanikoro (Lagos Island 1); Tunde Pratt (Lagos Mainland 2); Saheed Aregbesola (Oshodi-Isolo State 2), Sulaimon Thompson (Surulere 1)and Taofeek Kuye ( Ajeromi-Ifelodun State 1) also dumped PDP for APC.

Mr Adeyemi Kazeem:former PDP Chairman, Ojo Local Government;Pastor Gbenga Ogunleye,media aide to the 2023 Lagos PDP Governorship Candidate were also among those who defected.
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Senator Ali Ndume, the lawmaker representing Borno South, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s government of being hijacked by “kleptocrats” and “kakistocrats.”

Ndume said those surrounding President Tinubu are doing more harm than good.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Sunday, Ndume alleged that key figures in Tinubu’s administration are driven by self-interest.

“I see people lying and telling the President what he wants to hear.

“My position is that the people who are supposed to help him are the ones deceiving him or damaging his image,” he said.

READ ALSO: June 12: Jonathan, Others Mount Pressure On Tinubu To Reinstate Fubara

According to him, rather than acting as a support system, the President’s aides — whom he described as unrealistic people — have effectively “kidnapped” the presidency.

Ndume said, “They are unrealistic people. I said it before and I’m not changing my position until they change or the President does something. I still believe the government is more or less dominated by kleptocrats and even kakistocrats.”

Asked to explain the terms he used to describe Tinubu’s aides, Ndume said, “Kakistocrats are people holding positions they are not supposed to be in, while kleptocrats are those in politics for personal gain, not public service.”

He added that the Tinubu administration appears oblivious to Nigerian’s plight, saying there’s a disconnect between the presidency and the hardship Nigerians are facing.

READ ALSO:Why I’m Against Tax Reform Bills — Ndume

“The President cannot go out to the streets like myself and know how the people feel. Even outside the villa, they would drive him in tinted glass so he doesn’t even see what is going on.

“People are not happy, and the President himself is not pretending. He acknowledges there is hardship and has asked Nigerians to be patient.”

Ndume has been critical of President Tinubu’s government lately.

In April, Ndume faulted Tinubu’s appointment, saying it does not comply with the federal character principle.

He said that each time he spoke about Tinubu’s government, “so-called Tinubu boys” always came for him.

A former Commissioner for Information in Ogun State and Coordinator for the 2025 Ojude Oba festival, Dr. Fassy Yusuff, on Monday cleared the air on the reason for the absence of the Awujale and Paramount ruler of Ijebu land, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona could not attend the 2025 annual festival held on Sunday at Ijebu Ode.

According to Dr. Yusuff, the 91-year-old monarch was recuperating at home after being discharged from a Lagos hospital last week Thursday.

Dr Yusuff disclosed this while reacting to reason for the absence of the royal father at the annual festival.

READ ALSO: Awujale Absent At 2025 Ojude Oba Festival

Thousands of guests and tourists who thronged the Awujale pavilion for the yearly glamorous festival were bewildered to notice the conspicuous absence of the highly revered 91-year old traditional ruler who is the symbol of the global festival.

The highly revered traditional ruler who for decades usually sits in his majesty to receive the homage from the thousands of guests, tourists and people from the Ijebu land during the annual festival was however absent from the festival held on Sunday.

He was represented by his wife, Olori Kemi Adetona.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Culture Minister, Musawa Turns Heads At Ojude Oba In Traditional Attire

Dr Yusuff while clearing the air over whatever rumor the absence of the foremost traditional ruler might have generated said that there was nothing to be worried about as the royal father was only recuperating after being discharged from the hospital last week Thursday.

In a text message, the Ogun state former Commissioner for Information said, “Awujale was hospitalised in Lagos two weeks ago, but was discharged on Thursday”.

“He is now recuperating at home. A normal situation. Nothing to worry about”.