My loyalty to PDP burnt my fingers, says Lagos lawmaker

The last Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Dipo Olorunrinu, says his loyalty to PDP burnt his fingers.

Olorunrinu (APC- Amuwo-Odofin I) disclosed this on the floor of the House at the Special Valedictory Session of the 8th Lagos Assembly on Thursday.

Eight lawmakers were elected into the 40-member Lagos Assembly on the platform of the PDP in the 2015 general elections, but seven defected to the ruling party in 2017.

Olorunrinu, however, held on until April 29 this year when he also announced his defection on the floor of the house.

The first term lawmaker’s defection came after he lost his seat with 278 votes to Mrs Mojisola Alli-Macaulay of APC during the March 9 election.

Read also: Lagos Assembly sat 216 times, passed 43 bills into law

Olorunrinu thanked the PDP for giving him the privilege to come to the House, but said that his loyalty had affected his political carreer.

“APC is a party that is very progressive. I appreciate the very revered Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. I saw progressiveness of the House.

“I was like a lone voice in the wilderness before I joined  the APC. While in opposition, I was only trying to prove loyalty. My loyalty has really burnt my hand and I have learnt my lessons,” Olorunrinu said.

The lawmaker said that he was persuaded to defect to APC while others did in 2017 but he stayed on for his loyalty to the opposition party.

“I was advised to leave PDP, but I delayed because I wanted to show loyalty to the party,” he said.

He prayed that God would pay him for his loyalty now that he was in the ruling party.

Olorunrinu commended the Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa and Senator-elect for Lagos East, Mr Bayo Osinowo (APC-Kosofe I) for their leadership and fatherly roles.

He said that the Speaker had not denied him or his constituents anything due to them.

NAN reports that five of the seven other defectors got the APC tickets to return to the House and won their re-election while two could not get the party tickets.

The candidates of APC won the entire 40 seats in the House of Assembly during the 2019 poll, unlike in 2015 general elections when PDP clinched eight seats.(NAN)