Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s breakaway group, Kwara state Third Force (KSTF) have officially defected to the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
They cited alleged exclusion of members from participating in the party’s membership registration and revalidation exercise conducted recently in the state as reason for their action.
The “Third Force” emerged in June as a result of unresolved crisis in the party.
They accused Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazak and Kwara APC of failing to provide a level playing ground for all members to operate.
Coordinator of the group, AbdulFatah AbdulRahman told newsmen in Ilorin that the exclusion of its members from the recent ward congresses proved that the party is not ready to carry all members along in the scheme of things in the state.
He said, “the APC ward congresses were recently conducted are a clear indication of an imminent collapse of the party in the state.
“The aspiration of Kwarans for good governance and overall development of the state cannot be achieved under APC with the existing conditions.
“The above development has given cause for our collective decision to look for an alternative, viable political platform where every individual can participate fully in our state’s democracy.
“We have reached out to all existing registered political parties in Nigeria. Not only that, we equally scrutinized each party to ascertain its suitability in consonance with the hopes and aspirations of thecitizens of the state.
“On the strength of this, I am pleased to announce that it is the collective decision of all members of the Third Force to join YPP. It is the only political party that has had the foresight to realize that,” he said.
In his response, YPP chairman in the state Charles Afolayan promised that the party would continue to welcome all democrats into its fold as it prepared to take the country by storm in the next general elections.
