It has been established that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have shelved his plan to hold governorship primary election in Ondo State on the July 22 over an allegation of infiltrated delegates list.
This development sprang from the report of Hassan Dankwambo Appeal Committee, which visited the State on Monday
The Informant247 gathered that over 101 fake names were alleged to have been included in the list.
Seven out of the eight contestants were greenlighted to take part in the primary, including the Ondo Elders Council and the State Caretaker Committee frowned against using the delegates list submitted by Kingsley Chinda, who happened to be Secretary of the PDP Ward congresses Electoral Committee for Ondo State.
The seven aspirants who were opposed to the list were Ayorinde Bode, Ebiseni Sola, Eyitayo Jegede, Kunlere Boluwaji, Okunomo Banji Ben, Olafeso Eddy, and Gooday Erewa.
A member of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) revealed to journalists in Akure that the report of Dankwanbo would deciding factor if those indicted would face penalty.
According to him, “The NWC of the party is very serious about ensuring that the PDP takes over Ondo State from the ruling APC and would do anything to ensure that the unity and stability of the party is kept safe especially as the governorship election draws nearer.
“All eyes are now on Agboola Ajayi. The other aspirants have called for his disqualification from the election. But the NWC is weighing its options. They are looking for a way of pacifying these other aspirants. Some of them have stayed in the party since 2016 till date, Ajayi just joined us back not too long.
“The issue on ground is whether the Deputy Governor will not cause disaffection in the party and kill the confidence the people of the state and members of the PDP have in the party.
“The NWC is thinking about postponing the primary election. This will afford the party time to do diligent work on the delegates list and settle the seemingly crisis that has emanated from the doctored list.”
Senator Nicholas Tofowomo representing Ondo South noted that any governorship aspirant bent on replacing the names of legitimate delegates of the party deserve to be excommunicated from the party.
South West Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Ayo Fadaka, said the act of replacing delegates names has never happened in the PDP before.
Fadaka said leaders of the party in the state are currently working hard to ensure that the infiltrated delegate list is corrected.
Ajayi noted that his name has been cleared by a Court of Appeal ruling on the issue of alleged age falsification levelled against him.
He disclosed that he is not part of the NWC of the PDP and could not have enjoyed privilege of having access to the list.
He continued, “Some PDP aspirants, who are being sponsored by the Ondo State Government to obtain forms just to undermine the capacity of the opposition party in its bid to take over the reins of government from the wobbling and floundering Akeredolu, have suddenly realized that it’s not going to be business as usual.
“On the other hand, the Deputy Governor is receiving the last kicks of a dying horse from the governor’s camp. This may not be unconnected to the fact that the Akeredolu led government has so far find it arduous to come out of coma and fill the gap the exit of the Deputy Governor created.
“It must be noted that it is the national leadership of PDP that sent a committee to see to the conduct of delegates election and they are the custodian of the list and not the Deputy Governor.
“The Deputy Governor as a governorship aspirant of the PDP submitted the basic requirements and qualifications for the governorship contest – SSCE results, official age declaration, membership card and tax clearance; all of which have been screened and certified okay. There was a petition against his Law School certificate of Call to Bar. This again has been dismissed by the highest and most distinguished Body of Benchers.
“It is therefore foolhardy and unfortunate that those who should know better are still wandering and wallowing in their pool of ignorance over a matter which the judiciary had given its final verdict.
“In the past three months, the same stories aimed at smearing the reputation of the person of the Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi have been sponsored and planted in both traditional and online media platforms.”
“The ultimate aim of these job seekers is to demarket the amiable Deputy Governor as the Ondo State gubernatorial election gets near. These hirelings and their sponsors do have the sympathy of Agboola Ajayi. However, it’s not too late for them to face the reality that no one can curse a man whom God has blessed.” he added.