Delta State Governor, Chairman of the Committee Sen Ifeanyi Okowa today defied rain, stormed venue for the Ekiti 2018 People’s Democratic Party Primaries in Ekiti State.
Delegates Arriving Ahead of 10am Accreditation As Gov Okowa to Conduct Free and Fair PDP Primaries In Ekiti State.
A total of 2,092 delegates are expected to take part in the gubernatorial primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to choose its flag bearer among the three contending candidates.
Out of this, there are 1,585 statutory delegates while elected national and ad-hoc delegates total 491.
The party has already appointed Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state to head the primary election committee while its National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus is to head the primary appeals committee which will begin seating on Monday.
All members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party are also members of the appeals committee.
A total of 51 persons who had been elected as delegates from various local governments were withdrawn from the delegates’ list because they are government officials who did not resign their appointments before contesting.
But the party was unable to replace the withdrawn delegates because of the shortness of time.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, confirmed on Monday that all measures have been put in place to ensure a hitch-free congress, noting that all the aspirants have agreed to work together.
The aspirants are the current deputy governor of the state, Prof. Kolapo Eleka; former national spokesman of the party, Prince Dayo Adeyeye and serving Senator, Biodun Olujimi.
Ologbodiyan observed that the processes leading to primary were transparent, noting that this accounted for why nobody was complaining.
He was confident that the Congress will be peaceful as he pointed out that there will not be a repeat of the violence witnessed during the conduct of the Congress of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state.
According to him, “We can’t have the APC experience because we don’t have 37 desperate aspirants and all three aspirants in PDP have agreed to work together.”
He also assured that access would not be granted to any hoodlum or saboteur that may come from the opposing camp.
Meanwhile, the national leadership of the party has charged delegates as well as teeming members and supporters of the PDP in the state to continue in their resolve to work together to ensure a smooth and hitch-free exercise.
The party commended all stakeholders, particularly, the aspirants for the spirit of sportsmanship being displayed in their commitment towards a peaceful and free credible process.
A statement issued by the spokesman applauded the stakeholders in the state for keeping to their resolve to work together to ensure the victory of the party at the main election, irrespective of the outcome of the primary elections.
The leadership of the party restated its stand to continue in the highest level of transparency and to ensure an all-inclusive playing ground for all aspirants in all the processes leading to the governorship primary.
Furthermore, the party charged all its members in Ekiti to remain vigilant and give no space to external forces, who might be used by the APC to attempt to disrupt the peace of the state, having realized that we are coasting to victory.
