UPDATED! APC officially welcomes Omisore in Osun

 

BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO

FORMER Deputy Governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, on Monday, formally defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Omisore, who analysts said had nominally remained in the Social Democratic Party since after the 2018 governorship election in Osun State, picked his APC membership card at St. Gabriel Polling Unit 003, in Ife-East Local Government area of the State.

The top Osun politician contested the 2018 governorship poll on the platform of SDP, but came third in the election declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

He subsequently entered into an alliance with the APC for a rerun, to ensure victory for Governor Gboyega Oyetola, as Ife, his stronghold, was among the four Local Government Areas, where the rerun was billed to hold.

Recall that the former Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, had in 2002 defected from the Alliance for Democracy, the political platform on which he was elected Deputy Governor to former Governor Adebisi Akande.

Reacting to his defection, the Chairman of Osun APC, Gboyega Famodun, said Omisore displayed progressive tendencies and formed an alliance with the APC to banish the reign of PDP.

He said, “I want to welcome former Deputy Governor and illustrious son of Ile-Ife, Senator Iyiola Omisore, to our party, APC.

“Omisore displayed his progressive tendencies which are service to his people and unalloyed love to the well being of Osun People; he chose between lies and truth; he opted for the truth and service to the people and formed an alliance with our great party to put an end to PDP rascality.

“Otunba started his political career as a progressive and this is a homecoming for us. I welcome you to this party.

“I am glad to witness the registration of Senator Iyiola Omisore into APC. What is being done today puts an end to all the insinuations that he will never join APC and that he is deceiving APC.

“On behalf of the leadership of the party, I want to thank you, Senator, such that what you are doing today will be of immense benefit to APC, Ile-Ife and Osun State. This will be the beginning of a new era in the state.”