BY VICTOR BUORO – With eyes on the 2023 general elections, the roll call of All Progressives Congress (APC) members in the House of Representatives has recorded an addition with the defection of Jacob Ajao Adejumo from the Action Democratic Party (ADP) to the ruling party.
Announcing the development on Tuesday, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, who read Adejumo’s letter of defection, said the number of APC members in the House has now increased to 305 as at the last count.
In his letter, Adejumo said the decision to quit the ADP was taken after due consultation with his constituents, adding that he initially left the APC after being unjustly denied a ticket to contest the elections.
Maintaining that he joined the APC to move the country forward, Adejumo said; “Your (the Speaker’s) charismatic and all-inclusive, transparent and objective leadership of this house won my admiration for you and the progressives party in moving the nation forward.”
He said the current move was an expected home coming for him and his constituents ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The lawmaker represents Ogbomoso North, Ogbomoso South and Oriire Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives. He defeated former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Olagunju Ojo who was the APC candidate in the 2019 general election.
In recent weks, several lawmakers in the lower legislative chamber have jumped ship with the ruling party gaining at least 20 lawmakers within the last 11 months. Most of them are from the country’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
