A former Chief Press Secretary to Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Mr Peter Babalola, who led the defectors, said the former administration of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola was dictatorial and that this led to its fall.
Babalola, who said the PDP in Osun State alienated its leaders and supporters, also accused the state executive of imposing some aspirants on the party with impunity.
Among those that defected were some PDP governorship aspirants such as Chief Wahab Toye and Chief John Fashogbon, who is a member of the House of Representatives.
Also included were the Chairman, Osun State College of Education, Mr. Akin Titiloye, and the Managing Director of the Osun State-owned Kajola Investment Limited, Mr. Adelani Ajanaku.
Others were Yemi Akintola, A. Oyedokun, Bayo Alalade, Raheem Aleshinloye, Mukaila Oladejo, Tunde Ajani, Bade Popoola, A. Duduyemi.
Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who received the defectors, described the Oyinlola government as directionless, stressing that the former governor wasted public funds on golf and unnecessary overseas trips.
He said the arrival of the PDP defectors would strengthen the ACN and foster unity, adding that the party was poised to engender peace and development in the 19-year-old state.
But the leadership of the Osun PDP has said that the party will return to reckoning in the next local government election.
A former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Akinade Akinbade, during a meeting of PDP leaders on Thursday, said the loss of the governorship seat was a temporary setback that the party would overcome.
Present at the meeting were the chairmen of the 30 government councils, the younger brother of Oyinlola, Prince O. Oyinlola, leaders of the party, former specials assistants, special advisers, executive assistants and numerous supporters.
Akinbade, who was a state chairman of the party, said the party would be rebuilt and strengthened, in order to wrest power from the ACN.
He enjoined supporters of the party to stand firm and resolute in the struggle to unseat the ACN in future elections.
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