Following report that he was among the 15 senators who defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, earlier today, the lawmaker representing Oyo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Adesoji Akanbi has reiterated his commitment to the ideals of progressive politics.
Akanbi’s name was listed among names of those who defected from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Expressing surprise over the inclusion of his names, the Ibadan-born senator said he remains an APC member.
Akanbi, while addressing journalists shortly after plenary on Tuesday said he remains ”a bonafide member of the APC,” adding that his name was wrongly included in the list.
“Initially today, my name was wrongly mentioned in the list of the people that defected to PDP. A point of order was raised. I was able to clear my name that I’ve never been part of defection from APC to PDP. I remain a bonafide member of APC.”
He showed journalists the votes and proceedings of the day to confirm his name is not on the list.
“This is the votes and proceedings of Tuesday 24 July 2018 and my name is not listed on the list of defectors. I remain a bonafide, committed, unrepentant member of APC. I’m here to put the record to order.”
He added that his name might have been added to the list of defectors because of the crisis in Oyo APC.
“There is this rumour or speculation when you have ambition, declared or undeclared ambition that you are having crisis in your state with your governor. So, they assumed that having crisis with your governor, automatically (means) you’ll leave the party.
“I am using this medium to say once again that in Oyo State, I don’t have crisis with my governor,” he added.
Akanbi went further to explained that “My antecedents and track records will surely authenticate this statement
“I started my political career with the Social Democratic Party, SDP, between 1989 and 1990 and from there, after the aborted Third Republic, I was co-opted into NADECO. We later moved to Afenifere and later to the Alliance for Democracy, AD, a party I was a prominent member of.
“After the AD administration was forcefully sent out of office in 2003, I was one of the very few members of the late former governor Lam-Adesina administration that stayed behind using my little resource to put the progressive party back on the map of politics in Oyo State. From the Action Congress, AC, we moved to the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, then to the All Progressives Congress, APC. With that, you will see that I have always been committed to the ideals of progressivism.”
He thanked his supporters and his constituents for the support they have always given to him since he joined politics.
