Osun West Senatorial Aspirant Babayemi, Dumps APC, Leads 3,000 Members To ADP

Ahead of the September 22 governorship election in Osun State, the fortune of the ruling-All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has suffered another setback.

A senatorial aspirant on the platform of the party, Prince Dotun Babayemi on Saturday led thousands of his supporters across all the council areas of the senatorial district to the opposition Action Democratic Party (ADP) in Gbongan, headquarters of Ayedaade Local Government Council Area of the state.

The large crowd of Babayemi’s supporters and members of ADP, who came from the 10 local governments of Ayedaade, Ayedire, Ola Oluwa,Irewole Isokan, Ejigbo Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore and Iwo that made up West Senatorial District had converged on Oke Church Area of Gbongan where the defectors were received into ADP.

Addressing the crowd at the event, ADP party chairman, Mr Toye Akinola described Omooba Dotun Babayemi, as a politician with distinction.

According to him, the Gbongan-born prince has empowered thousands of youths, and women, whose trying experiences have been turned into beautiful testimonies after he positively and productively engaged them.

Describing ADP as a political party that respects people’s opinions and gives premium to equity and justice, Akinola said that Omooba Babayemi has chosen the right party where his aspirations would be met.

He recalled with nostalgia various humanitarian services like free healthcare services, scholarships and football competition which Babayemi has sponsored, saying his joining ADP, would guarrantee maximum dividends of democracy for the people of Osun state.

Speaking in same vein, ADP leaders including Elder Jekayinfa, Prince Soji Ajayi And Alhaji Azeez Adesiji, all described ADP as a political party to look out for in all elections.

They recalled their days in APC, where they claimed their opinions were never respected, they subsequently urged people to support ADP for the growth and development of Osun state.

Oluomo Sunday Akere, the immediate past Commissioner for Information in the state, while addressing the gathering, said that Osun will only progress when grassroot politicians who know where shoes are pinching the citizens.

Akere, who lauded the bold step taken by Babayemi, in pitching tent with the ADP, emphasized the need for people of Osun West Senatorial District to support him and his new party, ADP.

In his remarks after receiving ADP flag, Omooba Babayemi, explained that before now, he has been putting smiles on the faces of the people and pledged not to renege in that regard.

He described ADP governorship candidate, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, as the best among the lot in the race, identified justice and equity as factors that distinguished ADP from other parties and implored people of voting age who have not got their PVC, to get them and vote Adeoti on September 22.

Recalling Adeoti’s antecedents in politics, Omooba Babayemi, assured the people of the state that, if supported, the for secretary to Osun state government would ake the state to the next level.

Babayemi expressed his conviction that ADP would form the next government in the state, adding that, “the time is ripe for the people of Osun to gain their freedom from the shackles of political colonial masters.”

According to the Gbongan Prince, Osun West Senatorial District has suffered much neglect by successive administrations while electorate in the area patiently awaited their turn at the governorship seat, only to have their hope dashed by the APC leadership in the state.

In view of the Osun West Senatorial District’s open denial of the governorship seat by the APC leadership in the state, we have no choice but to leave the party for the ADP, where our interest would better be accommodated,” Prince Babayemi stated.

He further stressed that the decision to leave the ruling-APC in the state was not an easy one in view of what he and other members had invested into the party in the state.

Addressing party supporters, the ADP governorship candidate, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, appreciated the support the people are giving him and expressed his displeasure over how his former party, APC, disregarded the rights of people of Osun West to the governorship seat.

He also described as “callous” the refusal of the APC government to fix the dilapidated Iwo/ Osogbo and Ejigbo /Osogbo roads amidst other facilities that fall within Osun West Senatorial District and assured that the issue of modulated salary and refusal to pay pensions would be a thing of the past with him in the saddle as governor.

“Maintaining that Osun is blessed with several natural resources and fertile land, Adeoti said if supported to win the September 22 election, the challenge of unemployment, under employment, hunger, high taxation and other inhuman programmes initiated by the present administration would be addressed.”

“Omooba Dotun Babayemi, is an epitome of service to humanity.The Gbongan prince and philanthropist has assisted thousands of people of Osun West Senatorial District in the areas of education,health,sports and employment opportunities.”

“It is on record that Omooba Babayemi has so far, given over 400 brilliant, but indigent students scholarship covering their university education.”

“Besides, in his vision to ensuring that the young lads were productively engaged, Omooba Babayemi, from time to time, organizes summer schools for private and public schools in the ten local government areas that make up Osun West District.”

“To therefore describe Omooba Dotun Babayemi as a good Samaritan, whom God has sent to relief the people of Osun West of abject poverty, is no gain saying, considering those, who in one way or the other, benefitted from his philantrophy in the area of free medical service.”

“Recently, he cleared medical bills of hundreds of people, who underwent eye surgery courtesy of his Kindness, Favour and Grace Foundation at a specialist hospital in Ijebu Mushin, Ogun state. Many of those who benefitted from this free eye surgery have hitherto lost hope about their vision being restored.”

“He has shown also concern about need for the people in Osun West to be healthy. This also led to the organisation of a free medical outreach where residents of Ede,Iwo ,Ejigbo, Apomu, Ikire, and Gbongan suffering different ailments received medical attention.”