By Kamil Opeyemi
The former Deputy Governor of Kogi, Abayomi Awoniyi, on Thursday, officially announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
His defection is contained in a letter, entitled, “Letter of resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party”, made available to newsmen in Lokoja.
Awoniyi served as deputy to former Gov Idris Wada.
He conveyed his resignation in a letter dated August 31 and addressed to the PDP Chairman of Mopamuro Local Government Area of Kogi.
The letter partly read: “I hereby write to tender my letter of resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party after 25 unbroken years of loyal and dedicated membership and service.”
“With this resignation letter, I cease to be a member of the PDP.
“Kindly convey my sincere gratitude to the party faithful in Mopamuro LGA, Kogi West Senatorial District, and indeed the entire state, through your fellow LGAs party chairmen, for their support and camaraderie, over the years.
“I look forward to our continued friendship, despite the fact that I am no longer a member of your party,” he stated.
Awoniyi did not give specific reasons for his exit from PDP.
He was reported to have expressed dissatisfactipn with the conduct of the party’s governorship primary election.
In a reaction to the exercise, Awoniyi, who was one of the frontline governorship aspirants, described the exercise as a “farce”.
Meanwhile, he has not officially indicated his next line of action.