Niran Sule, a former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has dumped the opposition party for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State ahead of the November 26th, 2016 Ondo State governorship election.
Mr. Sule made the announcement of his defection on Thursday through a photograph sent to his close allies in Akure.
SaharaReporters correspondent obtained the photograph from one of his close aides who confirmed the news of this defection.
This aide, Yomi Adesida, told our correspondent that Mr. Sule heard a secret meeting with the factional National Leader of the PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff.
The aide also disclosed that among those present at the meeting were the former Governor of Ogun State Gbenga Daniel and the controversial business mogul, Jimoh Ibrahim.
He confirmed that the meeting was held at a private location in Abuja and sponsored by Mr. Sheriff.
The aide told SaharaReporters that the main grouse of his principal Mr. Sule for leaving the APC to the PDP was the ‘confirmed news’ of an imposed APC gubernatorial candidate on its members.
He further added that Mr. Sule was “unhappy” with the “dirty fights” in the opposition APC in the State over issues concerning candidate imposition and doctoring of delegates lists, hence his total defection to the PDP.
Another close aide to Mr. Sule, who pleaded not to be named, confidentially told our correspondent that his boss decided to defect in order to spite members of the party.
He further hinted that his boss has been speaking with both the factional leaders of the PDP in the State and at the national level.
"I can authoritatively tell you that my boss decided to join PDP in order to embarrass the party leaders of APC who has been taxing him for money," he said
SaharaReporters checked from the list of governorship aspirants of the opposition APC confirmed that Mr. Sule was never among those who collected the party’s nomination in Abuja.
However, the opposition party publicist, Omo’ba Abayomi Adesanya has reacted to the defection of Mr. Sule from the party to the PDP.
Mr. Adesanya in a telephone interview said his defection to the already house of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was comic adding that Mr. Sule was never a bona fide aspirant of the APC.
“He never declared his intention to the party at any level in the state, nor does he visited the state party secretariat of our party at 17, Oyemekun Road, Akure.
“Mr. Niran Sule never paid to the compulsory Two Million Naira party Development Fee and Five Hundred Thousand Naira expression of interest form even with the Five Million Governor nomination form of the APC.
“So, what makes him an aspirant of our great party. He has no records in our party as an aspirant, and he was never a member but sine he has decided to join the corruption personified and divided house of PDP, we wish him good luck” he said.
