The Senior Special Adviser on Media to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, Hezekiah Bamiji, has described the defection of two Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a major political blunder.
Speaking Thursday on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Bamiji said Senators Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East) and Olubiyi Fadeyi (Osun Central) acted hastily, believing unconfirmed rumours that Governor Adeleke was planning to dump the PDP.
“Maybe what I can say is a kind of miscalculation on the part of the lawmakers. The rumour perhaps overwhelmed them, thinking that the governor was coming. They felt that they were Abuja politicians and should be faster than the governor,” Bamiji said.
He stressed that Adeleke remains the undisputed leader of the PDP in Osun State and that the lawmakers ought to have consulted him and their constituents before making such a critical move.
“The governor is the leader of the party in Osun State. I felt they should have consulted with their leader and perhaps also the people in their various constituencies, but I am not sure that was done,” he added.
Bamiji further stated that the lawmakers fell into a “trap” laid by the APC and acted without verifying the facts. He noted that Adeleke does not need to join the APC to deliver on his promises to the Osun people.
The defections, which were formalised on Wednesday, increased the APC’s Senate seats to 70 and reduced the PDP’s tally to 28.
Speculation around Adeleke’s political future had intensified following his June 3 visit to President Bola Tinubu’s Ikoyi residence in Lagos, accompanied by his brother, Adedeji Adeleke, and nephew, pop star Davido.
