A faction of the beleaguered Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State announced on Thursday that it would conduct its congress to elect ‘ward delegates’ that would choose the party’s candidate in the August 22, 2016 primary election of the party, according to factional chairman Clement Faboyede.
He had earlier disclosed that over 800 delegates from the State would elect the party’s main flag-bearer for the governorship poll.
Mr. Faboyede revealed that three persons each from the 203 wards in the State would be chosen during the congress as ad-hoc ward delegates.
He added that the three would join the party’s automatic super delegates to elect the party’s flag-bearer ahead of the governorship election fixed for November 26, 2016.
According to Mr. Faboyede, the automatic super delegates will be recognized party leaders and stalwarts from eighteen local council areas that made up Ondo State.
SaharaReporters learned that the party’s five national leaders who will monitor the ward congress have arrived in the State for the process.
Muktar Shagari, the former Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, led the five-man delegation and will serve as the chairman of the ad-hoc delegates ward congress in the State.
Other members of the delegation are Usman Bello Kumo, Nnena Nkeje, George Diaka, and Captain Shelling, our correspondent gathered.
Mr. Shagari told journalists that they were in the State to ensure the ward congress is transparent and devoid of violence.
“I can assure you that we will conduct a transparent congress that will produce our delegates,” he said.
Mr. Eyitayo Jegede and Mr. Saka Lawal are the two aspirants that are jostling for the party’s ticket in the Faboyede-led faction.
The embattled factional State Chairman further explained that the party leaders are not perturbed by the crisis rocking it, which has forced many members to divide into two factions.
The Ondo State PDP split into two factions due to Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s imposition of Eyitayo Jegede onto the party members. Mr. Jegede is a senior lawyer and immediate past Commissioner for Justice in the State and hails from the same senatorial district as Mr. Mimiko.
The factions have subsequently been struggling to control the leadership of the party.
The opposing factions are being control by Mr. Faboyede and Biyi Poroye in Ondo State. Both men are laying claims to the seat of the State Chairman of the party.
While Mr. Poroye belongs to the Ali Modu Sheriff camp, Mr. Faboyede has pitched his tent with Ahmed Makarfi-led faction. The power tussle between the two leaders has led to a leadership crisis that has divided the party at the national level.
