The Lagos State Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Moshood Salvador, has dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress(APC) and he said his exit marks the death of PDP in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)reports that Salvador announced his defection on Monday while addressing his supporters in Lagos.
He said he took decision the because all his efforts to move the PDP in the state forward had been frustrated by some elements in the party.
Salvador alleged that a former deputy national of the party, Chief Olabode George, had done everything possible to undermine the progress of the party in the state.
He said he could no longer labour in vain, adding that the national leadership of the party had done nothing to support or appreciate his efforts as PDP Chairman.
“When you have people or leadership that cannot give you encouragement to carry out your vision, you take it to another place where it will be appreciated.
“I am not happy that I am abandoning what I laboured for, but I have to move on with my supporters because I cannot continue to labour in vain.
“Today, the chairman of PDP Board of Trustees called me on the defection and I told him to allow me consult with my people before feedback.
“The PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus also called me for the first time since my travails.
“He never called since I was put in jail on a cooked up murder charge; he called me today to ask why I want to defect.
“And I told him it is not possible for me to be in the same party with Bode George because he undermined all my efforts to reposition the party.
“He was doing all these things and the national leadership was allowing him, saying he is an elder.
“Bode George also cooked up things to put me in jail in the murder case of late Aborishade.
“Enough is enough. I am leaving the party with my supporters and I am taking them to APC where they would be recognised and appreciated,” he said.
Salvador said he had since handed over the PDP structure to his deputy who would continue the affairs of the party.
He said his exit meant that the PDP was dead in Lagos as he was moving with about 15,000 supporters, including party executive members at council and ward levels.
Salvador insisted that he was innocent in the murder case of Aborishade, saying all the things said about his involvement were all lies.
He said he would stage a “show of strength” rally on Monday to show his former party that he was going to the APC with thousands of his followers.
In a response, Chief Bode George, who was a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP said Salvador, has the right to leave the party if he wished to do so.
George spoke while launching a trust fund for the family of the late Adeniyi Aborishade, a chieftain killed at a meeting of the party in Eti-Osa on July 21.
He was reacting to media reports that Salvador and some others had concluded plans to defect to the All Progressives Congress over alleged interference in party affairs by some party elders.
