The Secretary to the Osun State Government (SSG), Mr Moshood Adeoti, has resigned his position and defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He announced his resignation on Monday in Osogbo, days after he pulled out of the governorship primary election of the APC in the state.
Adeoti consequently declared his defection to the Action Democratic Party (ADP) at a ceremony attended by a crowd of supporters in the state capital.
He also used the occasion to pick the party’s ticket as its candidate in the September 22 governorship election.
Amid cheers and chants of “Shehu” by his numerous supporters at the ADP Secretariat along Ikirun Road, the former SSG said he was determined to contest the poll.
He had been Secretary to the State Government since the first term of Governor Rauf Aregbesola and was the state chairman of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) before his appointment as the SSG.
Adeoti left the APC with some members of the Osun State Executive Committee, as well as local government and ward officials and party members.
The defection was a fallout of his displeasure with the APC primary which was conducted on Friday last week using the direct voting system, otherwise known as ‘Option A4’.
The SSG, who faulted the system adopted by the Adams Oshiomole led APC national leadership, had aspired to contest the election on the platform of the ruling party as well as consulted and campaigned vigorously among the party leadership and members in the state.
He later withdrew from the race alongside Senator Babajide Omoworare and Peter Babalola, the Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, before the primary started.
The new ADP governorship aspirant claimed the direct system was a “constitutional breach skewed to favour the aspirant that eventually emerged as the party’s candidate.
He would battle with the APC candidate and Governor Aregbesola’s Chief of Staff, Adegboyega Oyetola, and Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as well as candidates of other political party participating in the September poll.