PDP garners N259m from Ondo gov aspirants, adopts indirect primary

The Peoples Democratic Party has amassed N259m from the sale of Nomination and Expression of Interest forms to seven governorship aspirants in Ondo State.

The Ondo State governorship election comes up on November 16, 2024.

The PDP opened the sale of forms on March 7 and, according to its timetable or schedule of activities, the sale of forms ended on Thursday, March 21.

The aspirants, who bought the forms, are expected to fill and submit them on or before March 25.

The PDP sold its Nomination Form for N30m; Expression of Interest Form, N5m, Party Bebranding Fee, N1m and Secretariat Charges, N1m.

However, the party made the Expression of Interest Form free for female aspirants and those with disabilities.

According to the party’s timetable or schedule of activities ahead of the election, the PDP will on April 25, 2024, hold a congress where its governorship candidate will emerge.

The party said its governorship candidate would be picked through the indirect mode of primary.

As of Thursday afternoon, our correspondent’s investigation revealed that seven aspirants had purchased N35m forms and paid the N2m charges at the PDP national headquarters, Wadata Plaza, Abuja.

The aspirants, who have purchased the forms, are a former Ondo State Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi; a former commissioner and chieftain of Afenifere, Olusola Ebiseni; Akinwumi Adeolu, Otunba Bamidele Akingboye, Kolade Akinjo, Bosun Arebuwa and John Mafo, a lawyer.

The PUNCH exclusively learned that the PDP opted for the indirect primary method to choose its candidate for the Ondo State governorship.

A senior member of the PDP National Working Committee, speaking anonymously with our correspondent, stated, “The PDP’s Ondo State ticket is accessible to all. The NWC has not been informed of any consensus, and we have endorsed delegates and three ad hoc arrangements for an indirect primary.

“It implies that members will elect delegates at ward and local government levels. These delegates will subsequently choose the party’s candidate through an indirect primary.”

In the meantime, two governorship aspirants in Ondo State, Bosun Arebuwa and Kolade Akinjo, have advised fellow aspirants not to perceive securing the party’s ticket as a matter of life and death.

They emphasised that the objective was to rescue the people from the alleged mismanagement of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Arebuwa and Akinjo addressed reporters in Abuja shortly after acquiring their forms at the PDP secretariat.

Arebuwa said, “In PDP, we have learnt our lessons and we are united; I can assure you that we are united. And it’s only a fool that will be passing through what we are passing through and not be united against their enemies.

“I have always been in support of any candidate in the PDP. Getting the ticket or not getting it does not stop me from supporting. It’s not a do-or-die affair. I am not desperate, but I am ready to serve our people; that’s my own. So, our goal is to win and restore Ondo State to the PDP.

“It is not about me. That’s why you don’t see my posters everywhere. It’s about our people and our party.”

On his part, Akinjo said, “This fulfills my aspiration to participate in the PDP primaries to become its gubernatorial candidate. There is a time for everything, and now is the time for this specific ambition.

“Our aim is to provide an alternative to the mismanagement currently affecting every corner of that specific state. An alternative to their belief that providing water to the people is impossible, an alternative to their notion that promoting free education is unattainable, and an alternative to their corrupt practices. I represent an alternative to all the things they are incapable of accomplishing in Ondo State.

“The goal of my ambition is to restore good governance in Ondo State, to reintroduce transparency, and to ensure a significantly improved quality of life for our people.”