It was truly a political homecoming for Aare Y.O.S Animashaun, who was a pioneer member of the APC before he left for the PDP in 2013.
However, he has found his way back to APC after a few years of sojourn in the main opposition party. On his return, a reception was held for him and his team by the Ajeromi-Ifelodun APC during the grand rally to conclude the 2025 campaign season for the Lagos State local government election.
Animashaun, a former aide to Jimi Agbaje, the former PDP governorship candidate, at the ceremony submitted the PDP emblem and flag for destruction, signifying his decision to abandon the umbrella party for the APC.
He promised to mobilize his group to the field, where they will help his new party, the APC, to achieve victory in the forthcoming local government election as well as the 2027 general election.
The Ajeromi-Ifelodun constituency representative at the National Assembly, Hon Paul Kalejaiye, who welcomed the decampees, which included the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Marshall Udoh, promised them that they would not suffer in pain. “I welcome all of you decampees into our fold, our party does not discriminate,” he noted.
Animashuan, in an exclusive chat with Lagos Focus Newspaper, said he returned to APC with his group, Unity Coalition Movement, which includes people from PDP, NNPP, Accord, and Labour Party at the grassroots, and he is the leader of the group.
“Ours is not the coalition of Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, David Mark, and Rauf Aregbesola, among other concoction coalitions. They are the same people who are anti- democracy, and we cannot support any group that is anti – democracy. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the father of democracy in Nigeria; anyone who wants to be truthful can attest to the sacrifices President Tinubu has made for democracy to be born during the era of Afenifere.
“It is not far away in history the role David Mark played to hinder democracy in Nigeria in the June 12, 1993, general election saga. Unfortunately, the same Senator Mark later became a beneficiary of democracy, emerging as the Senate President for several years.
“Now, such a person is coming again with other antics against democracy, so Nigerians will not allow such an anti-democratic group to succeed, and that is why we brought our coalition movement into APC and not into ADC,” Animashaun concluded.
Some of the officials of his Unity Coalition Movement in the All Progressives Congress include Kennedy Aluze from PPA, Godown Omomia from the Accord Party, and Kazeem Moyosore Salawu from the PDP
Some of the positions he has contested include:
* Councilor in 1990 with Late Alhaji Ashiru Olawunmi Zola
* Aspired as State Publicity Secretary, contested in 1996 with Alhaji Adewumi Garba under UNCP.
* LGA ex officio for AC/ACN/APC for 8 years.
* Chairman of Coordinators for ex-Governor Babatunde Fashola’s continuity Team 2010/2011 and
* Coordinator for Atiku-Agbaje Grassroots Summit 2019.
Animashaun played a prominent role in the 2015 election, which produced Hon. Rita-Fatai-Famakinwa at the Federal House of Representatives and the Lagos State House of Assembly, as he worked hard to support Late Alhaji Lema Jubril as the Presidential aspirant of NRC.
He was tipped for the position of ACN Party Chairman, Ajeromi/Ifelodun LGA in 2006 with Alhaji Morufu Bayewu “Ologbojo”
LAGOS FOCUS
