The Deputy Governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2025 governorship election in Ondo State, Dayo Awude, has officially joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Awude joined the APC alongside other leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Receiving the defectors into the party, the governor of the state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Monday, congratulated them, describing as a wise decision to join the APC.
During the event, held at the Akure city hall, Aiyedatiwa stated “In Ondo State, there is no room for coalition, it is one APC. People join political parties for different reasons, but the interest of the party must always supersede every other interest, and for us in the APC, that interest is to retain power.”
He noted that the APC has all it takes to achieve that goal, pointing to what he called the evidence of good governance under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the federal level and his own administration in Ondo State.
“The whole of Ondo State is for President Tinubu come 2027, and the decision of these defectors to join us today is a strong step towards that goal. Joining our party is an assurance that we will do greater numbers and further strengthen the APC ahead of the presidential election,” Aiyedatiwa stated.
Ondo State APC Chairman, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, described Hon. Awude as a man of capacity, noting that true political strength begins from the unit and extends to the ward.
“Any politician who cannot deliver his unit and ward is not a politician. I urge all our new members to work towards strengthening the party at the grassroots. Therefore, on behalf of the National Chairman of our party, I want to formally welcome you into APC and I thereby hand you over to the Leader of our party in Ondo State, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa”, Adetimehin said.
Meanwhile, Awude, who announced his defection to the APC, cited his alignment with the progressive ideals and developmental agenda of the current administration.
Awude said, “I have joined the APC to add value, and I assure Mr. Governor that he will see it. I urge all our party faithful to return to their units and wards to fully integrate themselves. I am here for progress to support President Bola Tinubu and to support the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.”
Another defector, Dele Ogunbameru, former Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), said he had faced numerous challenges in his former party but now feels at home in the APC. He added that he has joined the ruling party to contribute his wealth of experience and help move it forward.
