The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo says main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the state has ‘gone into extinction’ as the party continues to lose its members and leaders after the 2023 general election.

Ade Adetimehin, the Ondo chairman of the APC, who stated this on Monday, said PDP is no longer relevant as an opposition political party, considering how its members and leaders are leaving its fold in droves to join the ruling party.

“The PDP has gone into extinction in Ondo state and that is why many members of the opposition political parties are coming to join the APC in Ondo state,” Mr Adetimehin told reporters in Akure On Monday.

He added, “Three days ago, the grassroots strength of the PDP collapsed into the APC. All the former vice chairmen and 203 former councillors defected to the APC in Idanre, chairman of PDP Elders Forum joined the APC.”

Mr Adetimehin’s attack on the PDP came after the leadership of the opposition party in the state described its members and leaders defecting to the ruling APC as “hustlers” searching for their daily dread.

The leadership of the PDP, led by Fatai Adams, had said many of those leaving the party would soon return and retrace their steps.

Scores of members and leaders of the PDP in the state had, in the past few weeks, defected to the governing APC, citing the alleged leadership crisis in the opposition party as the reason for leaving the umbrella party.

Last month, a House of Representatives candidate of the party, Olumuyiwa Adu, led prominent members and leaders of the opposition PDP to join the ruling APC after losing out in the poll.

Mr Adu was later joined in the APC a few weeks later by former local government chairmen and councillors who served under the PDP administration of the late Ondo governor, Olusegun Agagu.

But positing further on Monday, Mr Adetimehin said the APC is ready to welcome all newly defected members and give them a level playing ground in the party.

He explained that the unity and internal discipline in the party have helped in attracting new entrants, particularly members of the opposition PDP to its fold.

According to him, the leadership style of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, by not interfering in the affairs of the party, has further ensured the cohesion of various stakeholders from the unit level to the state.

While noting that Mr Akeredolu is a believer in the supremacy of the party and its leadership, Mr Adetimehin said that there is no cause for any division in the Ondo APC.

“Governor Akeredolu never interfered in the day-to-day running of the party and of all the political parties in Ondo state, APC is the only united party. There is no division and we are rancour-free.

“The governor believes in the supremacy of the party and he never interferes in the running or day-to-day activities of the party.

“He allows the party to function effectively. That is what brings unity to the party and makes us the strongest political party in the state,” he said.