On Saturday, a former Lagos State PDP Chairman, Tunji Shelle, announced his resignation from the party and officially defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Shelle was received alongside other PDP stalwarts and some Labour Party members at an affirmation ceremony in Lagos, where he accused the PDP of being plagued by “gross indiscipline and endless crises.”
Among those who defected with Shelle were a former PDP Board of Trustees member, Abimbola Ogunkelu; another ex-state PDP Chairman, Muritala Ashorobi; PDP Vice Chairman (Lagos East), Tai Benedict; former Youth Leader, Niyi Adams; and ex-South West Secretary, Rahman Owokoniran.
They were formally welcomed into the ADC by the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, and other leaders.
Speaking on the reasons for his defection, Shelle said PDP leaders had failed to address what he described as the destabilising activities of some national figures. He specifically accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of working for the All Progressives Congress (APC) while still claiming PDP membership.
“Wike cannot hijack the party, and the rest of us continue to look as if we are helpless or we are no human beings. I don’t take it. I don’t like being subjected to such ridicule. One man cannot say he is working for APC while on the other hand keeps holding PDP to ransom. I think the leaders are compromised,” Shelle said.
He declared that his defection, along with other top leaders, had further weakened the PDP in Lagos.
“PDP is now empty with all its leaders moving to ADC in Lagos,” he added.
The former Lagos PDP boss described the ADC as a party filled with “tested and trusted politicians” capable of challenging the ruling APC in 2027.
“There are no distractions in ADC. The party leaders are not people anyone can buy over. ADC has all it takes to save the situation in Nigeria and give the people the country of their dream,” Shelle stated.
He expressed confidence in the leadership of David Mark, the Interim Chairman, and Rauf Aregbesola, noting that both men had the capacity to steer the party to victory.
Other defectors echoed Shelle’s sentiments. Former South West PDP Secretary, Rahman Owokoniran, said: “PDP has lost track. PDP is gone, there is nothing there. ADC is the only opportunity to challenge the ruling APC.”
Similarly, PDP Vice Chairman (Lagos East), Tai Benedict, remarked that many more party members were set to dump the PDP.
“We are emptying PDP members in Lagos State into ADC. Others are on the way; they want to take their last supper before coming,”he said.
Former PDP Youth Leader, Niyi Adams, claimed that more than 5,000 members had already defected across the 20 local government areas of Lagos.
According to him, the defectors were determined to work “assiduously to ensure victory for ADC in the 2027 general elections,” stressing that he did not believe PDP could resolve its crises even after its planned national convention in November.
