Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Wednesday declared that the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has become an empty shell in the country following the gale of defections rocking the party.

Governor Abiodun spoke at a reception organised to formally welcome some PDP bigwigs in Abeokuta into the All Progressives Congress in the state.

The defectors included the deputy governorship candidate of PDP in the 2023 elections, Adekunle Akinlade; former state chairman of the party, Dr Sikirullahi Ogundele; and Deputy Minority leader of the State House of Assembly, Lukman Atobatele.

Others are former Chief Whip of the State House of Assembly, Idowu Olowofuja; former ALGON Chairman, Dr Mojeed Ekelojumati and former Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Chairman, Rotimi Rahman, aka Arugbo.

Abiodun in his remarks re-echoed Ogundele’s earlier statement at the event that “every responsible member of PDP in Ogun State” has left the party.

The Governor also taunted members of the PDP as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

He noted that the giant strides of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration have continued to attract opposition figures into the APC, including serving governors.

The Ogun Governor, who further took a swipe at the PDP, said, “PDP nationwide has become an empty shell. As a matter of fact, they have been referred to as Internally Displaced Persons (IDP). They are looking for IDP camps. They went to SDP, they were not accommodated, ditto to the ADC. They are still displaced.

“I am glad that you (new APC members) have chosen to come back to where you belong.”

Welcoming the new APC members, who he described as politicians with progressive-thinking, the Governor promised to accord them the rights and privileges due to them as party members and leaders.

Earlier, Akinlade who was defeated in the 2019 governorship election by Abiodun, when he ran on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), thanked the governor for accepting them back to the ruling party.

Akinlade, who was also a member of the House of Representatives, said Abiodun had treated the new members with dignity since the commencement of their defection process, promising to remain loyal to his leadership.

He said, “We are here to support you, your Excellency; we are here to support the party; we are here to commit our loyalty absolutely to you and the party.

“We are here to work with you and we will align with you.”