Osoba's Defection ‘Shocking’, Says APC

                                    

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed shock at the defection of some of its members in Ogun State to another party, but said the defection will not affect the overall chances of the party in the forthcoming polls.

A former Governor of the state, Chief Olusegun Osoba, led the defections to the Social Democratic Party.

Former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba

Among those who defected with him were the state deputy governor and the three senators in the state.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the APC said the shock stemmed from the fact that efforts are ongoing to reconcile the aggrieved members in the Ogun State chapter, and it was expected that they would give room for those efforts to yield fruit.

The party expressed the hope that the defecting party members will reconsider their decision and beat a quick retreat.

''Yes, the defection of some our members will create some challenges for our party, but we will go back to the drawing board to re-strategize and redouble our efforts to retain the state in 2015,” the spokesman said.

''Every member of our party is important to its overall success, but none is more important than the party. Against this background, no member can hold the party into ransom.”

APC said it was a mere fallacy for anyone to conclude that the defection of some members, irrespective of their self-importance, would dramatically alter thechances of the party in 2015.  It therefore urged its members in Ogun State not to lose any sleep over the latest development.