Candidates of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the Local Government election in Ondo State have kicked against the withdrawal of the party from the council election fixed for Saturday, January 18.
The PDP had, in a statement signed by the Director of Media, Mr Leye Igbagbo, withdrew their participation in the Saturday local government election.
The statement signed by Igbagbo said, “This decision is a product of several layers of consultations of party leaders, stakeholders, and the National Secretariat of our great party.
“Our party fielded 15 Chairmanship Candidates in 15 Local Government Areas and 131 Councillorship Candidates. But, from all indications, ODIEC’s credibility, transparency, and impartiality have failed the integrity test.
“Recent observations and reports point to a troubling pattern of double standards by ODIEC, raising serious doubts about their ability to conduct a free, fair, and credible election.
“As a responsible political party committed to democracy and the rule of law, we can not, in good conscience, confer legitimacy on this compromised process by participating in the election.
“We have, therefore, resolved to withdraw our participation in this exercise to uphold the integrity of our party and our unwavering belief in credible electoral practices.
“We further assure our teeming supporters and the good people of Ondo State that our commitment to sanitize the Electoral process is irrevocable.”
However, the Chairmanship candidate of PDP in Akure South, Prince Tuyi Adekanmbi, who led Vice Chairmanship and councillorship candidates of the party in protest to NUJ Press Center described the withdrawal as a betrayal on the part of the party.
Adekanmbi said they were loyal members of the PDP who had signified their interest in the election over seven months ago. He said they paid expression of interest and nomination forms to participate in the election.
He expressed regret that the party announced its withdrawal without consulting the candidates who have spent money on posters, jingles, and other campaign activities.
His words, “The party was aware of our contest, they screened our forms, they have been to ODIEC, everything we did, they gave us the go-ahead to place the posters, banners and to canvass for votes. Everybody will agree with me: you don’t go to an election without money, no matter how small; being a councillor candidate, you know how much money it took to canvass people to vote for you.
“They came up in less than 72 hours of the election and without the consent of the aspirants, and said PDP was going to boycott that election.
“We see this to be an infringement of our rights and if they are going to do it, it should not be done to loyal party members like us. In this party, we have carried our cross through thick and thin.
“We knew a lot of things we have lost. Many of us have been begged and wooed to another party in which we claim that our interest is our party.
“The party has come not only to disappoint us but to disappoint the entire Akure people. As we speak, we know the level of popularity and the depth of acceptability we have in the Akure metropolis.
“All our candidates are capable and the people of Akure, be it big or small, the party people, the traditional leaders, the religious people, the opinion leaders, everybody, they have rallied their support behind us.
