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The crisis rocking the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ondo State has deepened.
The leaders are divided between endorsing Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) or Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Governorship candidate Prince Oyeleye Fasua collapsed his structure for Governor Akeredolu, while the acting state Chairman, Dele Thomas, joined nine other parties to endorse Jegede.
The SDP lawmaker in the House of Representatives, Mr. Tajudeen Adefisoye, has also declared support for Akeredolu.
Speaking about why he endorsed Akeredolu, Fasua said he opted to settle for a candidate that had experience.
Fasua, who donated a branded coaster bus to Akeredolu, said the governor’s explanation at a debate organised by Face the Voter Initiative showed that his reasons for seeking to govern the state had been achieved.
He assured Governor Akeredolu that SDP structures across the state would work for the victory of the APC on Saturday.
Fasua said: “I was to choose between three giants with experience and experiment. I saw that Akeredolu has the experience. The manifesto read out by the governor at the debate endeared me to him.
“SDP used to be a big party. There were three mighty people. I have to support one, even if I wanted to win the race. I didn’t have much interest in Akeredolu initially, but during the debate, he explained what he has done.”
“I will put in efforts for the APC to enable it win this election.”
On the stance of the party chairman to support Jegede, Fasua said they had an agreement on Sunday night to collapse the party structure for Akeredolu.
He said he was disappointed when he heard that the party chairman was at the PDP secretariat to endorse Jegede.
“We were both at the debate and we agreed that night to collapse the SDP structure for the APC. He called me in the morning and we talked for about 40 minutes.
“I will not blame him because he has no second address. He romanced Ajayi and Jegede. He is moving about to take care of himself. He is not a man of integrity. “The 10 parties that endorsed Jegede do not have followers. They did not carry any of their members along.”
SDP Publicity Secretary Gbenga Fasua said: “We went round the state during our campaign and saw viable impact of Governor Akeredolu on the state.”
He said no member of the SDP defected to the PDP with the chairman.
Governor Akeredolu hailed Fasua for mobilising SDP members to support his re-election bid.