The Accord Party in Lagos State has welcomed a fresh wave of politicians and professionals who defected from various political parties in the state.
The new members cut across five political platforms, including the Labour Party, LP, Action Alliance, AA, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Speaking on behalf of the defectors at a reception held in Alimosho, Mr Robert Sowore, a retired banker and financial consultant who left the Labour Party, said they joined Accord to be part of what he described as a people-driven mass coalition aimed at challenging the long-standing dominance of the APC in Lagos.
Sowore disclosed that he defected alongside more than 1,000 supporters, describing Accord as the most credible platform for mobilising grassroots participation and effecting political change in the state.
“Accord represents the right vehicle for a people-led coalition that can spark a political tsunami in Lagos State,” he said.
“The numbers are there, and the will of the people is clear. We are starting from Alimosho, the political heartbeat of Lagos, to reclaim the state for the people,” he added.
He argued that removing the ruling party would require a coalition rooted in the masses rather than an alliance driven by political elites, insisting that the Accord provides the necessary structure for such a movement.
Also addressing the gathering, Mr Olatunde Ibrahim, a former APC senatorial aspirant and tax consultant, said he was ready to contribute his professional expertise to the coalition’s success.
“I have provided consultancy services to all six South-West state governments. I am prepared to deploy my skills, experience and knowledge to support this project. I have already advised the party to establish a Research and Social Development Committee to promote evidence-based policies and people-focused programmes,” Ibrahim said.
Another defector, Mr Mayowa Odeyingbo, a technology consultant who also left the APC, said his decision was informed by Accord’s ideological clarity.
“I have been in the PDP and later the APC, and I have observed that most political parties in Nigeria lean left,” he said. “Accord stands out as a centre-right party with a truly people-centred ideology that caters for everyone; the rich and the poor, the educated and the uneducated, the privileged and the ordinary citizen.”
Other notable defectors include Mr Mayor David, a former LP House of Assembly candidate who joined from the AA; Mr Folajimi Babatunde from the NNPP; and Mr Ismael Elegbede from the African Action Congress, AAC.
Also received into the party were Mr Omoseebi Imole, a realtor; Mr Olaolu Otuyalo, a retired Department of State Services officer; Pastor Alfred Gideon; Anthony Usman; and Olawuyi Isaac, all from the PDP.
From the APC, those who defected include Messrs Olaoluwa Ogundairo, Obi-Wan Chiwendu, Shola Afolabi and Sunday Lucas.
Welcoming the new members, the Lagos State Chairman of Accord, Mr Dele Oladeji, described their defection as a major boost to the party’s growth and credibility.
“I am deeply honoured by the political stature, experience and track records of those joining us today,” Oladeji said.
“Accord is a party for the masses. We do not operate a godfather system. This is an open and inclusive political space where everyone has the opportunity to grow.”
He assured the defectors that the party’s internal processes are anchored on fairness and merit, noting that anyone aspiring to public office under Accord would secure the party’s ticket based on competence and capacity rather than influence.
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