By Akintunde Jacobs, Akure

The seven-man Primary Election Committee, to conduct the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary election in Ondo State has assured to conduct a free, fair and transparent primary election to choose its candidate for the November 16 governorship election in the state.

The Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who chaired the seven-man committee, while speaking with journalists at the venue of the exercise on Thursday morning at the International Culture and Events Centre (The Dome), said; “We are in Ondo state for the conduct of the PDP gubernatorial primaries, where we have seven aspirants and you know electoral rules requires that for a candidate to emerge in any party, primaries should be conducted.

“Three forms are provided for in the Electoral Acts 2022, we have the direct, indirect and consensus primaries. But here today, we are adopting the indirect primaries for which we are here. We expect about 627 delegates for the election and we are all set, all members of the panel are here, the accreditation has started. So, we are prepared and the aspirants are in high spirits and they have assured me that they would agree to work together for whoever emerged as the candidate.

“The problem of our party is how to get the power back from the APC that had taken power from us for the past eight years.

“We expect a very transparent, free, fair, credible and rancor free election and I have gotten commitment of all the aspirants that they would abide by the outcome and we are going to make it transparent as possible.

“You may be aware of my record that I was the one that conducted the primaries in Osun state and we won in Osun and I’m here again to conduct the Ondo state primary and by the grace of God, we are going to win because the sun of the last year is still the same of this year, so the rain will fall and the farmers would have good harvest.”

A total of 627 delegates from the 18 Local Government Areas of the state are expected to elect the standard bearer of the party for the November 16, 2024 governorship election after the exercise.

As at the time of filing this report, the accreditation of the delegates has commenced, while voting will follow after.

The accreditation process for 627 delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that will vote during the governorship primaries of the party in Ondo State has begun.

With the indirect mode of primary adopted by the opposition party, the voting process will soon begin immediately after the delegates have undergone accreditation.

The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who is superintending over the exercise, has assured that the process will be transparent.

According to Ewhrudjakpo, the party is poised to takeover power from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in order to ensure proper governance in the state.

“We expect about 627 delegates for the election and we are all set. All members of the panel are here, the accreditation has started.

“So, we are prepared and the aspirants are in high spirits and they have assured me that they would agree to work together for whoever emerged as the candidate.

“The problem of our party is how to get the power back from the APC that had taken power from us for the past eight years.

“You may be aware of my record that I was the one that conducted the primaries in Osun State and we won in Osun and I’m here again to conduct the primaries in Ondo State.

“By the grace of God, we are going to win because the sun of the last year is still the same of this year, so the rain will fall and the farmers would have good harvest.”

By Akintunde Jacobs, Akure

Abass Mimiko, a  younger brother to the former governor  of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, has emerged as the candidate of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in the forthcoming November 16 governorship election in the state.

Mimiko, who emerged the candidate through affirmation in the primary election of the party held on Wednesday at the state party secretariat in Akure, the state capital, said he was going to focus more on education, health, economy and security of the state if elected as the next governor of Ondo State.

According to him, “We are a forced to be reckoned with in this election, we will ensure food security within a year of our being in the office, we will have surplus of food in Ondo State, we will ensure affordable quality education, industrialisation housing , free health services for all residents are  part of our programmes.”

He, however, said his brother, Olusegun Mimiko has thrown his weight behind him in his aspiration to become the next governor of the state.

In his remarks, the National Secretary of the party, Yahaya Wakama said the party was ready to take over the state from the ruling party, urging the members to work hard in order to achieve this.

“Let me remind us however that the days ahead will be even more demanding and disturbing. The signs of what we should expect are already here, harassment, attacks and economic strangulation are some of the weapons that the ruling party will wield in their attempt to prevent the people’s will. But we cannot give up.

“We must resolve to snatch our state from the jaws of death and the predators whose only desire is to sink the ship of state. We must remain the voices of our people and work for their betterment,” Wakama said.