The Ondo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday condemned former Publicity Secretary Banji Okunomo and other leaders who abandoned the party, insisting that their defection would not weaken it. Okunomo resigned his membership, citing the internal crisis that has been plaguing the party, and said he would announce his next move in due course.
In a statement issued by PDP Publicity Secretary Kennedy Peretei, the party acknowledged reports of Okunomo’s resignation but declared it would not lose sleep over the development. The statement noted that, over the past 18 months, the same individuals have moved in and out of the PDP twice, demonstrating their “nomadic essence as politicians.” It added that many of them, who received promotions beyond their capacities from the PDP, consistently lost their polling units to other parties in elections.
The party further criticized these defectors for their “opportunistic and self‑serving ambitions,” describing their shift to the Zenith Labour Party as a “tragic outing” that revealed their limited political relevance. Peretei questioned why the PDP should be concerned about what he called “colourless, inconsequential, serial defectors,” suggesting they would be treated as “political prostitutes” wherever they go.
Despite the harsh language, the PDP wished the defectors luck and stated that “any time they wish to come back, our doors are open,” noting that they have now proven themselves to be “political herdsmen.”
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