— Ebiseni, Akingboye, Arebuwa, Mafo, Ajayi others slug it out

By Dayo Johnson, Akure.

Ahead of the governorship election in Ondo State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is mulling plans for a consensus governorship candidate in a bid to trim down the aspirants seeking to fly the party’s flag in the November election.

The leadership of the party arrived at this conclusion after a meeting with the aspirants at the party’s secretariat in Akure, the state capital.

Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, the Publicity Secretary of the party, Kennedy Peretei, said that “if the consensus plan fails to materialise, the party will be left with no option but to organise a free, fair, and transparent primary.

Peretei said: “Rising from the meeting at the State Secretariat at Akure on Monday, the aspirants expressed confidence in the party’s capacity to win the governorship election in the face of hunger and anger in the land orchestrated by the All Progressives Party (APC).

“All the aspirants were in high spirits and gave firm commitment to supporting whoever emerges as the flag bearer of the party.

“The Acting State Chairman, Basorun Tola Alabere, assured the aspirants that the party is desirous of a consensus arrangement for picking a standard bearer, but if that fails, the party will organise a free, fair, and transparent party primary.”

The aspirants who attended the interactive session include Sola Ebiseni, Agboola Ajayi, Bamidele Akingboye,  Adeolu Akinwunmi, Bosun Arebuwa, John Ola Mafo, amongst others

Speaking with newsmen, Ebiseni disclosed that the aspirant who will fly the flag of the PDP at the polls will be determined by the party and will be accepted by party members as well as the people of the state.

Ebiseni said, “As we have predicted, about two weeks ago, we issued a statement that the PDP is set to produce the next governor of Ondo State.

“In realisation of that, all the aspirants, at least eight of us now, have been called together by leaders of our party, the former Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, the State Working Committee, the Chairman of the Elders’ Committee, and all the aspirants, including our representatives at the Ondo State House of Assembly, to engender a rancour-free primary.

“The first step that the leaders are selling to us as aspirants is to see the possibility of a consensus.

“That is what is being sold to us. I’m happy to say that you will hear from the party itself what resolutions have been reached, but I want to assure you guys that in the fullness of time, the PDP is going to come out with a candidate that all of us will rally around.

” He’ll be seen not only by opponents but also by the people of Ondo State as having all it takes to run this state.”

Also speaking, the former deputy governor of the state, Agboola Ajayi, said that the guidelines of the party will be duly considered in the emergence of the candidate.

Ajayi, who said that he would rally support for any of the aspirants that emerged.

 “There is nothing special about our meeting today; it is a normal party meeting. In every political party, anytime there is a contest like this, the party should be able to interact with its aspirants, and that is what the PDP is trying to do.

“In every contest, there is always a laid-down procedure, and you also know that PDP is an organised party, and I’m sure the party will go through it to the letter.

” We will discuss and see how we can arrive at a consensus, but in the event we are not able to achieve that, then we go straight to the party’s guidelines, and whoever emerges, all of us have agreed to work together.

Another aspirant,  Akingboye, said, “For the first time, all the aspirants in Ondo State under the PDP have all agreed to come together to work as one, but we still have some that are trying to prove stubborn, but I believe with our leaders intervention, we will definitely come together for us to work together.

“We are going to work on a consensus candidate, and that is what the party has agreed to.

“I also advised them that party supremacy is very important. One of the reasons we are focusing on a consensus candidate is to avoid wastage of resources.

Meanwhile, the Coordinator, National Association of Nigerian Students, South West, Zone D, John Alao, has urged the party to field a candidate that will be acceptable to all and sundry and someone who is equipped with the solution to the challenges be-devilling the state.

Alao said that after scrutinising the aspirants by his fellow students, they would be pitching their tent with Akingboye as the best among the hopefuls.

According to him “Over time, Nigeria has been giving opportunities to people who do not know what our problems are as a nation, and if we keep folding our arms as Nigerian students and as youths, future generations will never forgive us.

“That is why I want to call on the leadership of the PDP both at the national and state level in Ondo State here to please pitch a tent with somebody who is ready to effect the needed change. It is high time, as a country, that we give meritocracy over mediocrity.

“Most times, political parties make the mistake of fielding the wrong candidates, and that is when the failure starts. But this time around, we all know what is happening in this country and in this state. We need somebody who knows what our problems are and who is ready to provide solutions to them.

Alao said “That is why, as the coordinator of over 30 million Nigerian students in the southwest, we are ready to show our strength to support the man with vision, who is proactive, and that is why we are pitching our tent and ready to give the needed support to Oba Otunba Bamidele Akingboye in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State.