Hundreds of supporters of the leader of Accord Party (AP) in Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, have left the party for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and other political parties.

Their defection was based on the alleged failure of the former governor to allow internal democracy such that only popular aspirants would have emerged through primaries.

The aggrieved supporters alleged that having invested huge resources and time to contribute to the growth of Accord in Oyo State, Ladoja betrayed them by imposing candidates instead of organising primaries.

Their defection had been preceded by a protest to the Ondo Street, Bodija, Ibadan residence of the former governor by aggrieved party members who pelted his house to convey the seriousness of their anger.

When party primaries began last month, Accord in Oyo State did not announce its primaries into the state and the National Assembly. But it held its primaries for the governorship slot which was contested by only its leader and coordinator, Senator Rashidi Ladoja. He won unopposed to emerge the party’s governorship candidate.

As much as our reporter pressed for the dates and venues of the primaries, all he got was that the dates and venue would be announced.

A source within the party had informed the Nigerian Tribune that primaries for the positions would hold from December 8 to 10. But it did not hold.

It was learnt that aspirants who had expected primaries for the various positions, besieged Ladoja’s residence daily, also seeking accurate information on the proposed primaries.

When the December 10, 2014 deadline given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for all parties to submit names of their candidates lapsed, some aspirants and their supporters, it was learnt, stormed Ladoja’s residence on Thursday, December 11 in protest.

Adapted from Nigerian Tribune