The Alliance for Democracy (AD) governorship candidate in the last election in Ondo State, Olusola Oke, said his return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was informed by the need to protect the interest of his supporters and for the development of Ondo State.
Mr. Oke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said he was poised for the consequences of his action, despite fears in many quarters that the odds were against him.
Mr. Oke left the APC last October in the wake of a crisis which rocked the party after an acrimonious primary which produced incumbent governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.
Mr. Oke joined the AD after the primary where he contested the main election. He came third in the election, behind Mr. Akeredolu and the PDP candidate, Eyitayo Jegede.
Mr. Oke will later today in Akure, the Ondo State capital, formally move with his supporters from AD to APC at a rally slated for MKO Abiola Democracy Park.
“This is not about me, but about the development of the state and the need to ensure the well-being of our people,” Mr. Oke said in an interactive session with journalists on Wednesday.
“I want to align and contribute my quota to the development of the state, instead of sitting on the fence,” he said.
Mr. Oke said he received the nod from APC national leader, Bola Tinubu, before his movement.
He also said he was “on the same page” with the governor, Mr. Akeredolu, on his decision to return to the party.
“Aketi has no tendency for deceit. I have discussed with him before taking this decision,” he said.
“I am not doing this for myself, but for Ondo State and I am coming to the party to add value.”
He also downplayed the possibility of engineering serious opposition within the APC, noting that he would deal with the challenges as they arise.
He also said there was no cause for worries as APC like other political parties has a fair share of its own internal crisis.
He promised to join others to minimise conflict within the party, adding that he had returned so that some of his supporters would “not be left in the cold.”