17th January, 2022
Emmanuel Oloniruha
Contrary to the claims of some aspirants, the Gov. Emmanuel Udom led Electoral Committee said election for the ad hoc delegates that will vote in the primary to select the People Democratic Party, PDP candidate for the June 18 Ekiti governorship election was successfully held in 170 out of the 177 wards of the state.
Two governorship aspirants, former governor Segun Oni and Senator Biodun Olujimi had accused former governor Ayodele Fayose who is supporting another aspirant of using thugs to hijack materials for the congress.
The two aggrieved aspirants who contended that election did not take place in most of the wards had consequently called for the cancellation of the exercise.
But while submitting its report to the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on Monday, the Electoral Committee dismissed the claims of the aspirants.
The report was submitted by the former PDP National Legal Adviser, Mr Emmanuel Enoidem to the party’s National Organizing secretary, Umar Bature, at PDP National Secretariat in Abuja.
Presenting the report, Enoidem, said that the election took place in 170 wards out of the 177 wards in the 16 local government areas of the state.
He said that the committee on its arrival in Ado Ekiti held a meeting with all the governorship aspirants, where they all agreed on the modalities for the conduct of smooth, free and fair congresses in the 16 local government areas of the state.
“It is important we place it on record here sir, that as we entered on Saturday because of delayed flight, we entered Ado Ekiti around 11.00a.m., we immediately held a meeting with all the governorship aspirants including Sen. Abiodu Olujimi and Mr Segun Oni.
“And they all agreed that the election should go ahead.
“So, at 2.00 p.m. materials were given to all the local government organising committees and they were dispatched.
`Suddenly, to our greatest surprise, Olujimi and Segun Oni rushed back to us that election materials have been hijacked.
“We then advised them to go to their various wards and see if the materials will get there and they eventually left.
“We never heard from them again, only to be reading from the media their opinions.
“We want to point it out here that election was successfully held in 170 wards out of the 177 in the state.
“And all the local government organising committees also signed the result sheets that we are presenting to you along with our report.
“So far, we held a successful congress in Ekiti state with only 7 local government areas waiting for reschedule congresses,” he said.
Receiving the report, Bature thanked the committee for a job well done, adding that a three-man appeal committee would be set up by the NWC for those who are aggrieved to appear before it.
Meanwhile, the PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said that the party received the report of Saturday’s delegates ward congress in Ekiti State conducted by the three-man ad hoc committee.
Ologunagba said that the NWC also received petitions and complaints from stakeholders on the Congress.
“The NWC assures that the report as well as the petitions and complaints will be comprehensively reviewed while all concerns raised will be carefully considered for amicable resolution in the overall interest of the Party.
“The NWC urges all governorship aspirants, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our Party in Ekiti State to remain calm, united and focused for the task ahead,” Ologunagba said.