Ondo PDP council chairmen works out as Jegede picks form

There was a mild drama yesterday at the Ondo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretariat in Akure, the state capital, as the party’s 10 local council chairmen worked out from an event, where the former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, collected his governorship nomination form.

Six of the PDP council chairmen are from the northern senatorial districts and the remaining four from the south.

It was gathered that they were initially invited for a PDP stakeholders meeting by the state executives, but later discovered that the meeting was organised for the collection of form by Jegede.

The party leaders from the north and south senatorial districts have been agitating that the PDP governorship candidate must come from their districts.

They based their argument on the fact that there was an existing agreement on a rotation of governorship seat among the three senatorial districts. They added that since the outgoing governor, Olusegun Mimiko, is from central, the party’s new governorship candidate must not come from the central.

The party leaders were aggrieved that Jegede, who is the anointed candidate of Mimiko, is from central senatorial district.

Confirming this report, the PDP Chairman of Akoko North East, Mr. Tayo Oyedeji, said 10 of his colleagues from the 18 councils stormed out from the party secretariat.

He said they were not informed that the purpose of their invitation to Akure was for them to witness the collection of nomination form by Jegede.

Oyedeji insisted that the party candidate must come from the northern senatorial district.

But the PDP State Chairman, Clement Faboyede, an engineer, said over 800 delegates would determine the candidate of the party at the primaries.

Jegede, who resigned on July 22 to contest for the top job, obtained the forms at the state PDP secretariat in Akure amidst fanfare and solidarity by former colleagues in the State Executive Council, party leaders, well-wishers, family members and supporters in their hundreds across the 18 council areas.

Speaking after picking the two forms, Jegede said he was overwhelmed with the massive show of love and support by the people, who, he said, transcend religious, ethnic and party affiliations. He promised to justify the confidence reposed in him by offering good governance which will consolidate and improve upon the achievements of the Mimiko administration.

Jegede reiterated his position that he is contesting to become the next governor to harness the state’s enormous natural resources to buoy its economic fortunes and enhance the living standards of the people.