The only member of the House of Representatives from the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, Hon. Festus Akingbaso, on Thursday led thousands of his supporters to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Also joining the APC was Dr. Kola Ademujimi, former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

The defection ceremony held at Depot Roundabout in Idanre saw Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, represented by his deputy, Dr. Olayide Adelami, welcoming the new members. The governor praised Akingbaso for his bold move and described him as a worthy representative of the Idanre/Ifedore federal constituency.

“I want to congratulate our people in Idanre and Ifedore for having a worthy son who has been representing you well at the National Assembly. Hon. Akingbaso has witnessed all that the APC is doing in Ondo State and at the federal level. We are happy to receive him and members of the PDP,” he said.

Governor Aiyedatiwa also lauded the ongoing reforms of President Bola Tinubu, which he said are already yielding positive outcomes across sectors of the economy.

Presenting the APC flag to Akingbaso, the state chairman of the party, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, expressed optimism that the Idanre/Ifedore constituency would henceforth become a stronghold of the APC.

“The federal constituency used to be divided between APC and PDP, but with the defection of Hon. Akingbaso, Idanre/Ifedore will now record 100 percent votes for APC,” he stated.

He urged residents of the area to support President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians, and affirmed that Ondo State is now firmly under APC control.

In his remarks, Hon. Akingbaso commended Governor Aiyedatiwa for providing purposeful leadership and for prioritizing the welfare of the people. He said his decision to join the APC was driven by a desire to support the governor in bringing governance closer to the grassroots.

“As a member of the National Assembly for two years, I have witnessed the giant strides of President Tinubu at the federal level, and I must bring my supporters to work with the governor in Ondo for the overall success of the party,” Akingbaso said.

Speaking on behalf of other defectors, Dr. Ademujimi expressed satisfaction with President Tinubu’s reforms and passed a vote of confidence in his administration. He pledged the support of Idanre/Ifedore for Governor Aiyedatiwa to ensure the president’s re-election.