Ahead of the November 16 gubernatorial election in Ondo State, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday kicked off its campaign in the state.
Many of the party faithful assembled at the Oyemekun Road, Akure, the state capital, in various branded party uniforms and caps amid fanfare.
The flag of the party was given to the party candidate, Mr. Agboola Ajayi, by the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Umar Damagun.
The rally was attended by the national, state and local government leaders of the party, which conprised, the Lead Representatives of Oyo, Osun and Bauchi States, Seyi Makinde, Senator Ademola Adeleke and Bala Mohammed respectively, the senate minority leader, Senator Abba Moro, a former Lead Representative of Ebonyi State, Mr. Sam Egwu, a former deputy governor of Ondo State, Ambassador Omolade Oluwateru, among others.
Presenting the party flag to the candidate, the National Chairman, Damagun, said the party was united to go to the impending political race and reclaim the state.
He charged individuals to safeguard their votes and deliver themselves from the government of All Progressives Congress (APC), which, as indicated by him, had brought difficulty to the people.
Damagun said, ” It is a known fact that APC has brought hunger to this nation. This is the time to pay them back. This is the opportunity for you to change the narrative.
“Agboola Ajayi is the person to do it for you. They are thieves, don’t trust them, and don’t allow them to steal your votes. They did it in Edo but don’t allow them in Ondo here, come out on November 16 and vote for PDP. ”
The PDP candidate, Ajayi, who was flanked by his running mate and member of the Lower Chamber, Festus Akingbaso, and other national leaders of the party, requested the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to remove the Residents Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, saying they did not trust the REC.
“We want the Chairman of INEC to redeploy Ondo REC because she was born and bred in Akure, we don’t have confidence in her,” Ajayi said.
In his own speech, for the benefit of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Bauchi Governor, Mohammed Bala, made known that there was no more crisis in the party, stating that the leadership crisis in the party had been settled. He asked the people to vote for Ajayi in the election.
“Ondo State is a place where everyone knows his rights. All the 13 governors are behind you. We are one in the PDP, there is no faction. Every responsible person belongs to PDP, we must deliver ourselves from hunger, from the hardship of the APC”, he charged.
Makinde, in his comments, encouraged the people not to sell their votes. He likewise called on the INEC to guarantee the election was conducted in a free, fair and credible climate.
Makinde stated, “I want to implore you, don’t sell your votes, this is the beginning of victory in Ondo State. INEC should play the game according to the rules. What happened in the Edo election should not happen in Ondo.”
Egwu who represented the Chairman Board of Trustees of the PDP, Senator Adolphus Wabara urged the people to vote and protect their votes.
“I want you to hold your ground, this state belongs to PDP. We should not allow Nigeria to turn to one party. A one-party system is not a tenet of democracy. This election must be free and fair. The last election in Edo State is a fraud, everyone knows that, and we would not allow that in Ondo State. Make sure you protect your votes.”
