VIDEO: PDP South West Congress: Voting commences with Ekiti delegates as Fayose accepts Makinde as PDP leader

Voting has commenced on the ongoing the South-West Zonal Congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Women and Children Development Initiative Foundation (WOCDIF) Centre, Iwo Road, Osogbo, Osun State capital.

Newsflash Nigeria gathered that the voting commenced with delegates from Ekiti state.

The exercise took off at exactly 4:40 pm with ex-governor of Ekiti, Segun Oni, casting his vote.

The candidates were told to line up as they were given ballot papers to cast their votes.

Newsflash Nigeria had earlier reported that there was a heavy security presence at the Women and Children Development Initiative Foundation, the venue of the congress on Monday, in Osogbo.

Men of the Nigeria Police, Department of State Security Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were sighted at the entrance and around the venue.

Some of the security personnel were also strategically located a few kilometres away from the venue of the congress.

Though accreditation of delegates was fixed for 9:00 a.m., it started two hours after.

42 aspirants were cleared by the PDP screening committee on Sunday to contest for the various positions in the zone.

The congress would be attended by 734 delegates across the six states of the zone.

According to the list released by Retired Col. Austin Akobundu, the PDP National Organising Secretary, Oyo has 171 delegates, Osun – 130, Lagos 101, Ogun- 112, Ondo 114, and Ekiti with 115 delegates.

A former deputy governor of Oyo State, Taofeek Arapaja, and the immediate zonal chairman of the party, Dr Eddy Olafeso, are contesting for the chairmanship position.

While Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State is supporting Arapaja for the chairmanship position, Mr Ayo Fayose, a former Ekiti governor is supporting Olafeso.

Meanwhile, Former Governor Ayodele Fayose has acknowledged Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State as the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South West.

He made the declaration on Monday during the South-West Zonal Congress.

Speaking in English and Yoruba, Fayose said “Nothing will last forever. And if I have offended anybody, I apologize.

“Don’t allow them to give us a name that’s not ours in Yorubaland. The time of our Governor, Seyi Makinde, will not fail.

Fayose further used a proverb to describe what went wrong. He said “Ija l’ode t’orin d’owe”. Meaning: “It was the fight that occurred that made a song become a proverb”.

“Seyi Makinde and I are one since. But under any leadership regardless of the level, you are our father. God will help you succeed.”

Governor Samuel Ortom, Chairman of the South-West Zonal Congress Electoral/Congress Committee, was represented by his Deputy, Benson Adounu.

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