The Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State may have rejected all entreaties to it by some prominent chieftains of the party within and outside the state to stay action on its plan to conduct a parallel governorship primary election ahead of the Saturday, November 26, 2016 governorship election in the state.
The Nation learnt that following announcement last Thursday by the faction that it would conduct a primary election to select a flag bearer for the PDP in the state, in spite of the emergence of a candidate from the Ahmed Makarfi faction of the party last week, prominent chieftains of the party swung into action in a frenzied bid to avert what many observers have described as a dangerous development.
“Fearing what will happen if the Edo scenario is allowed to repeat itself here, leaders of the party within and outside Ondo reached out to the leaders of the faction here in Ondo, urging them to prevail on Sheriff to shelf the idea of a parallel primary election. Several meetings were held but I fear that all may have failed to change the situation,” a former chairman of the party in the state told The Nation.
Consequently, the screening of governorship aspirants in the Ali Modu Sheriff faction began at the weekend in Abuja. A national committee, chaired by Yunusa Mohammed, conducted the screening at the PDP National Secretariat. Back home in Akure, leaders of the Makarfi faction insisted the exercise was in futility as they remain the authentic faction of the PDP in Ondo.
But a statement by factional Publicity Secretary, Yemi Akintomide, said: “As I have informed you, our party primary election will come up on Monday, August 29 (tomorrow), in front of our party secretariat on Oyemekun road, Akure, the Ondo State capital, where party delegates shall elect a candidate for the November 26 governorship election.
“As a lawful, valid, authentic and widely acceptable PDP in Ondo State, members of the Governorship Primary Committee, headed by Ahmed Gulak, has slated the primary for 11am in line with Section (50) 1 of PDP Constitution.
“I wish to let everybody know that the party has satisfied all requirements for the composition of the 203 Wards Party Congresses on August 16, when it held its Delegates Congress across the 18 councils going by the requirements stipulated in subsection A to N of the party’s Constitution Section 25(1)”.
It would be recalled that a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Eyitayo Jegede, (SAN), last week, emerged governorship candidate of the Makarfi faction of the PDP in the Sunshine state. The State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, belongs to the Makarfi faction of the troubled party.
840 delegates from 203 wards in the state participated in the primary election. At the party’s primary election held in Akure, Jegede pulled 760 votes to defeat another aspirant, Saka Lawal, who scored 22 votes. The primary election was conducted by the governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson who served as Chairman of the electoral committee.
He was accompanied by two senators, Meredith Chuba Okadigbo and Saabi Yau. The primary was observed by INEC officials led by the state administrative secretary, Kabir Omosanya, security personnels, local and international observers. Mimiko, at the end of the election, had said no other governorship election would emerge in the state for the PDP.
But factional state Chairman , Prince Biyi Poroye, debunked Jegede’s emergence as PDP candidate saying the party would elect and present a better candidate for the governorship after the outcome of its primary on August 29. Already, five aspirants are participating in the new primary; including Olusola Ebiseni, Mr. Niran Sule-Akinsuyi, Mrs. Abiye Ademuyegun, Bamiduro Dada and Jimoh Ibrahim.
“Let no one put himself in the position of a judge in his own case; we should allow the court to decide and make pronouncement according to the law of the land, which we pledged to uphold and abide by. We appeal to our delegates to conduct themselves properly before, during and after the primary, as their votes will guarantee a better Ondo State in the next four years. The delegates must be ready for this monumental and history-making decision to determine the future for people of the Sunshine state,” Poroye said.
Expectedly, the Makarfi faction said it is illegal for any faction to organise another lawful and acceptable primary. It noted that the exercise is awaiting several hurdles for the faction to cross.
“Judging from the fact that the PDP Constitution 2012 (as amended) remains a legal and binding document for members, any group intending to replicate the PDP primary election must bear in mind that Section 25(1) of the PDP constitution clearly stipulates the members of the party, who constitute the state party congress.
“At present, the state Chairman and his Executive Committee members, Mr. Governor and his deputy, zonal executives of the party, the five National Assembly members, all 18 elected council chairmen and 18 elected vice chairmen, all party secretaries, treasurers, women and youth leaders, former members of the State Working Committee, who are still members of the party and the three delegates elected at the 203 Ward Congresses participated and voted at the August 22 governorship primary.
“This was held in Akure under the supervision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and produced Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) as the flagbearer in the November 26 poll in Ondo State,” the party claimed.
As the two factions continue to trade words over who should produce the governorship flag bearer for the ruling PDP in Ondo State, analysts are of the opinion that unless the party finds a way of settling its disagreement over the candidacy, it may be shooting itself in the leg ahead of the 2016 governorship contest.