Mass Defection Rocks Ondo State as Dayo Awude’s SGN Joins APC with Thousands of Supporters.
By Kuye Babatunde
A significant political development has occurred in Ondo State with the mass defection of Dayo Awude, the Labour Party’s deputy governorship candidate in the last gubernatorial election, to the All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside thousands of his supporters. This historic move is being hailed as a major boost to the APC’s grassroots support, given Awude’s reputation as a people-centric politician and his ability to mobilize large crowds.
The defection led by Awude, along with several notable leaders of the Sunshine Grassroots Network (SGN), including Hon. Prince Olu Egbodofo, Bar. Ekundayo Akinnanu, Hon. Bar. Festus Dabo, Kuye Babatunde, Dr. Dotun Olorunyomi, Otunba Olorunwa Akinbuwa (Apokan), Hon. Deji Goroth, Mrs. Ajiboye Adesola, Hon. Samuel Erinayo Obele, Hon. Sunday Ogedengbe, former Akure South PDP Secretary, and hundreds of others. Awude, a seasoned politician, has held several notable positions in the state, including Chief of Protocol to former Governor Dr. Olusegun Mimiko and Commissioner for Youth and Sports. He is also the founder of the influential SGN, one of the largest political movements in Ondo State.
The defection ceremony was attended by top government and party officials, including Governor Lucky Orimmisan Ayedatiwa, State Party Chairman Engr. Ade Adetimehin, Secretary to the Governor Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti, and other notable figures. Engr. Adetimehin welcomed the defectors, expressing confidence in their capacity and quality, and emphasized the importance of winning electoral units, encouraging the new members to work with open hands, highlighting APC’s reputation as a “party of jolly fellows” under Governor Ayedatiwa’s leadership.
While addressing the gathering, Hon. Olu Egbodo said SGN has come to join forces to deliver overwhelming results in Ondo State for Asiwaju Tinubu, and that it is a taboo for some individuals to be sending the Yorubas to work against a Yoruba president all in the name of coalition. In his own reaction, Bar. Dabo said they all have toiled in different political parties and come to a reality that APC is the party to be, and they all have come to solidify the party.
Awude stressed the need for progress in Yoruba land and unity to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stressed that SGN members have come to add value to APC and work towards the party’s success. He urged supporters to return to their bases and mobilize for the party, emphasizing that the SGN members had joined APC to contribute to progress and work towards the re-election of President Tinubu and the government of Governor Ayedatiwa.
Governor Ayedatiwa warmly welcomed the defectors, congratulating them on their wise decision to join APC, and asserted that APC is the dominant party in the country, with a clear interest in retaining power through good governance. The Governor declared that Ondo State is solidly behind President Tinubu and that the party will work towards an overwhelming victory in the 2027 elections, assuring the defectors that they will be valued and rewarded for their contributions to the party.
The mass defection of SGN is expected to significantly bolster the APC’s grassroots support in Ondo State. With Awude’s reputation as a formidable politician and his ability to mobilize large crowds, the party is poised to reap substantial benefits from this strategic move. As the party prepares for future elections, the addition of Awude and the SGN members is likely to play a crucial role in shaping the political landscape of Ondo State.