The Special Adviser on Legislative Matters to Oyo State Governor, Hon. Samuel Adejumobi, popularly known as Agbarapo, has taken a swipe at the defection of the former Deputy National Chairman (South) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Taofeeq Arapaja, accusing the politician of abandoning the party that restored him to national political relevance.
Agbarapo, in his reaction to the reported defection made available to Westernmirror.com.ng on Thursday, expressed disappointment over Arapaja’s decision to quit the PDP, describing the move as a triumph of “money politics” over loyalty, political ideology, and good governance.
This was as he expressed confidence in the Governor Seyi Makinde’s leadership described as visionary, pragmatic, and forward-looking, saying former Finance Commissioner for Finance, Bimbo Adekanbi, will record a landslide victory across all the geopolitical zones to succeed Makinde come 2027.
Agbarapo, who was a former Majority Leader of the state Assembly under the PDP, insisted that nobody walks away from a winning team or a what he described as a well performed government except what is involved is huge money and other personal incentives.
He maintained that Arapaja could not have abandoned the PDP in the middle of a leadership legitimacy legal tussle at the Supreme Court except for what he termed “personal and selfish” desire.
According to him, Governor Makinde and the PDP stood firmly behind Arapaja at a time many had written off his political future after he was rendered politically irrelevant in APC, giving him the platform that eventually propelled him back to national prominence as the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South).
He maintained that history would not forget that the PDP, under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde and other party faithful, revived Arapaja’s political fortunes after years of “political relegation”.
“Politics is built on trust, loyalty and shared sacrifice. It is therefore unfortunate that someone whose political relevance was restored by the PDP has chosen to walk away at a time the party remains united and focused,” Agbarapo said.
The governor’s aide alleged that Arapaja’s decision was driven more by financial inducement than by any ideological conviction, insisting that political actors must be guided by principles rather than personal gains.
Agbarapo, who was a fomrer governorship aspirant ahead of the forthcoming 2027 general election, said the former deputy national chairman had “left for the moneybag,” adding that the development would neither weaken the PDP, Makinde’s political circle in Oyo State nor diminish the unprecedented achievements recorded under the present administration.
Drawing from the long political history they both shared, Agbarapo recalled that he and Arapaja emerged from the famed Molete political family established by the late strongman of Ibadan politics, Chief Lamidi Adedibu, where loyalty, grassroots mobilisation and commitment to the party were regarded as sacred values.
He noted that while political realignments are not unusual in Nigeria’s democratic journey, leaders who benefitted immensely from a political platform owe it a moral obligation to remain steadfast, particularly during challenging times.
Agbarapo argued that Arapaja’s political trajectory from local government chairman to member of the House of Representatives, deputy governor and eventually Deputy National Chairman (South) of the PDP, was made possible through the opportunities provided by the party and the confidence reposed in him by its leadership.
“The same political family that nurtured and sustained him cannot suddenly become irrelevant because another destination appears more attractive.
“As our elders would say, the child who forgets the hands that raised him may one day search in vain for shade when the sun becomes unbearable,” he said.
The Special Adviser, however, expressed confidence that the PDP in Oyo State would remain united despite the defection, stressing that the party’s structure remained intact under Governor Seyi Makinde’s leadership.
He urged party members not to be discouraged by the development, insisting that the PDP had weathered similar political storms in the past and had always emerged stronger.
“Our focus remains on delivering good governance to the people and consolidating on the developmental strides already achieved. Individuals may come and go, but institutions endure.
The PDP in Oyo State is bigger than any single individual so, nobody can even say because he didn’t get a governorship ticket among so many others that came out for the same ticket, Makinde has suddenly then become a bad person or a poorly performed governor, ” Agbarapo stated.
He further called on party faithful across the state to remain resolute and continue mobilising support aggressively at the grassroots, expressing optimism that the Makinde remains a dominant political force not only in Oyo state but Nigeria as a whole despite defection report.