The All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken complete control of the Ondo State House of Assembly following the defection of the remaining two members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling party, Peak Newspaper reports.
At Thursday’s plenary, the Minority Leader, Olajide Oguntodu representing Akure South Constituency 1, and the Deputy Minority Leader, Raymond Daodu representing Akoko South-West Constituency 1, formally announced their resignation from the PDP and their decision to join the APC.
Their letters were read on the floor of the House by the Speaker, Olamide Oladiji.
Also, Their defection marks the first time since the creation of the state that all 26 members of the Assembly will be from a single political party.
Earlier in August, two other PDP lawmakers—Felix Afe from Akoko North-West Constituency II and Tope Agbulu from Akoko South-West Constituency II—had also defected to the APC, reducing the opposition’s representation from four to two before the latest development.
Both Oguntodu and Daodu attributed their defection to internal crises within the PDP and the need to align with the ruling party to deliver better representation to their constituents.
With the latest move, the APC now holds total legislative dominance in the state, a development political observers describe as a significant boost to the party ahead of the November gubernatorial election.
Meanwhile, the Assembly at the same sitting called on both the federal and state governments to urgently rehabilitate the Ogbagi–Irun Akoko and Afo–Idoani roads, describing them as major routes vital to transportation and agricultural activities.
The lawmakers also directed the relevant committee to interface with the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to ensure immediate intervention on the affected roads.
