After weeks of public speculation about his next move, Gani Dauda, a federal legislator from Ondo state, has officially dumped the Labour Party (LP) for the All Progressive Congress (APC).
Gani represents Akoko Northeast/Northwest constituency in the House of Representatives.
His defection comes about one month after two other lawmakers of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Gbenga Edema and Fola Olaseinde, also left the same party for the APC. Both of them, at an elaborate defection event in Akure, cited polarization within the LP as the reason for their action.
Gani, who defected officially on Tuesday at the party’s secretariat on Oyemekun road in Akure, said his decision to pitch his tent with the APC followed wide consultations with the people he represents at the National Assembly.
He revealed that many supporters and followers of Governor Olusegun Mimiko who defected with the governor to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did so because they were forced and deceived about that action, adding that they are already retracing their steps.
The lawmaker noted that he was initially doubtful about his defection but had to take the advice of his aides and kinsmen who gave him the real political permutations concerning what failure to defect might in 2015.
He promised that his defection would attracts more bigwigs to the APC, as he hinted that some other lawmakers both in the state and the National Assembly have been approaching him to also defect.
“Let me assured you that more members will join this party because we have been talking to some people, and others have been approaching me ahead of the 2015 elections.
“In my constituency, the people have all unanimously agreed that it is either APC or no other party in the area. Today, we have joined the truck of change for a better Nigeria and progress of our people,” he said.
Receiving Gani, the State Chairman of the party, Isaacs Kekemeke, said that the defection would boost the chances of the APC in the state ahead the 2015 elections.
He assured a level playing field to all members contesting under the party’s platform, adding that good governance would be enthroned in 2015.
He stressed the determination of APC to wrest power from the PDP government, but cautioned members against campaigns of calumny.
"We are determined to take over power and government, come 2015. We shall put good governance in place because the time for the change is here," Kekemeke said.