From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ubandawaki Ward in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State, has dismissed as false and stage-managed the claim by the All Progressives Congress (APC), that scores of PDP members defected to the party in the ward, declaring that no member of the PDP defected to the APC.
The ward leadership described the alleged defection as another desperate attempt by the APC to deceive the public and create a false impression of acceptance for a party that, according to it, has lost significant goodwill among the people of the community.
In a statement jointly signed by the PDP Ubandawaki Ward Chairman, Alhaji Moshood Kayode, and the Ward Secretary, Hon. Mubaraq Adi, the party said it received with disdain what it described as the “falsehood and carefully choreographed narration”, of the alleged defection.
The statement said: “We received with disdain the falsehood being circulated about the purported defection of PDP members to the APC in Ubandawaki Ward. Let it be stated clearly that no member of the PDP in Ubandawaki Ward defected to the APC.”
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According to the ward leadership, the development was not surprising, noting that the APC stakeholders in the ward, including the Ubandawaki Ward Councillor and the Ilorin West Local Government Chairman, who is also a native of the ward, have been “running helter-skelter” since the landmark defection of APC members into the PDP.
The PDP leaders said several of the new members who recently joined the PDP had declined repeated calls and visits from APC leaders seeking to lure them back, describing this as evidence of the growing acceptance of the PDP in the community.
“Rather than face the reality on ground, the APC has resorted to staging phantom defections to please their master, who has clearly lost the goodwill and confidence of the people.
“They should stop deceiving themselves. Staging defections and parading people for political photographs will not change the reality that the APC has become an increasingly rejected and unpopular party in Kwara State,” the statement added.
The Ubandawaki PDP leadership reaffirmed that the party remains a united, indivisible and strong political family, stressing that it continues to receive aggrieved members of the APC and members of other political parties who are seeking a credible alternative ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party further stated that the alleged defection would have no impact on its growing strength across the ward and the state, expressing confidence that the PDP would secure victory in the 2027 elections.
“They can continue to deceive themselves with staged defections, but reality will soon set in. The PDP is firmly positioned and coasting to victory in the 2027 elections across Kwara State,” the statement said.
The ward leadership also took a swipe at the APC’s proposed governorship candidate, SYD, describing him as someone widely perceived as a political extension of the incumbent administration.
“No amount of propaganda or staged defection will rescue their unpopular governorship candidate, SYD, who is generally seen as a puppet of the governor and an attempt to reinforce the failure and poor governance associated with the administration of Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq,” the statement declared.
The PDP Ubandawaki Ward therefore challenged the APC to stop manufacturing defections and face the political realities confronting the party, insisting that the people of Ubandawaki and Kwara State are increasingly embracing the PDP as the platform for change and responsible governance.
