Ahead of the November 16, 2024, gubernatorial election in Ondo State, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, met with all aspirants on the party’s platform to explore the possibility of producing a consensus candidate.
The state publicity secretary of the party, Kennedy Peretei, who disclosed this, said the development became necessary to ensure a hitch-free primary election among the nine governorship aspirants jostling for the PDP ticket.
According to Peretei, leaders of the party in the state have met with all the aspirants and deliberated on a consensus option as best for the party to ensure a rancor-free primary election.
Peretei further stated that, if the consensus plan fails to materialise, the party will be left with no option but to organise a free, fair, and transparent primary.
The acting state chairman, Basorun Tola Alabere, assured the aspirants that the party is desirous of a consensus arrangement for picking a standard bearer, but if that fails, the party will organise a free, fair, and transparent party primary.”
His words: “Rising from the meeting at the state secretariat at Akure, the aspirants expressed confidence in the party’s capacity to win the governorship election in the face of hunger and anger in the land orchestrated by the All Progressives Party (APC).
“All the aspirants were in high spirits and gave a firm commitment to supporting whoever emerges as the flag bearer of the party.
“The acting state chairman, Basorun Tola Alabere, assured the aspirants that the party is desirous of a consensus arrangement for picking a standard bearer, but if that fails, the party will organize a free, fair, and transparent party primary.”
However, all the aspirants who include, including Agboola Ajayi, Bamidele Akingboye, Sola Ebiseeni, Adeolu Akinwunmi, Abayomi Sheba, Bosun Arebuwa, and John Ola Mafo, were invited to an interactive session.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, one of the leading aspirants, Otunba Bamidele Akingboye said “For the first time, all the aspirants in Ondo State under the PDP have all agreed to come together to work as one, but we still have some that are trying to prove stubborn, but I believe with our leaders intervention, we will come together for us to work together.
“We are going to work on a consensus candidate, and that is what the party has agreed to. I also advised them that party supremacy is very important. One of the reasons we are focusing on a consensus candidate is to avoid waste of resources.”
Also speaking, the former deputy governor of the state, Agboola Ajayi, stated that the guidelines of the party will be duly considered in the emergence of the candidate, saying he would be ready to support any of the aspirants that emerged,
He said, “There is nothing special about our meeting today; it is a normal party meeting. In every political party, anytime there is a contest like this, the party should be able to interact with its aspirants, and that is what the PDP is trying to do.
“In every contest, there is always a laid-down procedure, and you also know that PDP is an organized party, and I’m sure the party will go through it to the letter.
Meanwhile, the coordinator of the National Association of Nigerian Students, South West, Zone D, John Alao, has advised the PDP to field a candidate that will be acceptable to all.
Alao however, said after scrutinizing the aspirants by the students, they have decided to pitch their tent with Akingboye as the best among the hopefuls.