Followers and political associates of Sen. Gbemisola Saraki on Wednesday dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to defect to All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara.
The Leader of Gbemi Rukkayat Saraki Movement (GRSM) and the former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Benjamin-Issa Ezekiel, announced this at a news conference in Ilorin.
Ezekiel said the move was in solidarity with their Principal, Sen. Gbemisola Saraki, who had defected to the APC on the eve of the Presidential and National Assembly polls.
He said that their principal had earlier given a directive that her political followers should follow suit.
The group alleged marginalisation, orchestrated media warfare to malign Gbemi Saraki and belittling of the group despite its enormous contributions to PDP in the state as reasons for the defection.
He reiterated that the step taken by members of the group with their leader, Gbemi was neither premeditated nor for any personal interest.
“It is an exercise of our right to dissent from the ways of a party which we all laboured to build but failed to recognise our pre-eminence in its fold.
“We are fascinated by the content of the ideology, decorum, decency and civility that reign supreme in the fold of the APC.
“We have found in the APC, a platform that mirrors the ideals of our political family,” he said.
The group, therefore, called on its members across the 16 Local Governments Areas in the State to vote for APC candidates during the April 11, Governorship and State House Assembly elections.
He said that the members of the PDP state executive in the group have also resigned their positions to follow Gbemi to APC.
They include the PDP Scribe, Mr Hassan Rasaq, the State Youth and Woman Leaders, Segun Olawoyin and Hajiya Nimota Oba-Suleiman.
