Senator Boluwaji Kunlere has resigned from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Kunlere, a former Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, who represented Ondo South Senatorial District, tendered his resignation in a letter dated Wednesday, January 24, 2024.
The letter was addressed to the Igbotako 2 Ward Chairman of the PDP at Igbotako Ward 2 in the Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State.
In the letter titled, ‘Letter Of Resignation Of My Membership Of PDP,’ Senator Kunlere said, “I hereby tender my letter of resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party of Nigeria with effect from today being 24th January, 2024.
“I sincerely express my appreciation to you and other members of the party for your cooperation and support throughout the period of my membership of the party.
“Thank you and God bless.”
He, however, did not state if he would be joining another party.
Kunlere was the Director of Campaigns for the Atiku Abubakar/Ifeanyi Okowa Presidential Campaign Organisation in Ondo State ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
He is a former Secretary of the PDP in Ondo State and Senator of the 7th National Assembly.
He joined the PDP from the Labour Party in August 2014, two days after the widely reported news that then-Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo was on the verge of defecting to the PDP as well.
Senator Kunlere said he decided to join the PDP after consultations with his constituents and to pursue his political career.
Describing his defection as a matter of principle, he added that he had had enough of what he alleged to be repeated blackmail from the close aides of Mimiko in his local government area.
In a text message to SaharaReporters, Mr. Kunlere, who hails from Okitipupa, said he could not “continue to trade my political business with the Labour Party (LP) in the state,” adding, “anyone who is still displaying the Labour Party flag or carrying the card about is a dead politician waiting to be buried alive.”
Senator Kunlere said he no longer had any business with the Labour Party, adding that he had already issued a red card to the party’s leaders whom he accused of painting him bad to the then-governor.