A former Ondo State deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, and a chieftain of Afenifere, Mr Sola Ebiseni, on Monday, expressed their readiness to vie for Ondo State governorship ticket on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed November 16, 2024, for the Ondo State governorship election.
Ahead of the poll, the National Working Committee of the PDP, on Monday, released its schedule of activities.
The schedule, signed by the PDP National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, indicated that the PDP would conduct a congress on April 25 to pick its flag-bearer for the governorship poll.
According to the timetable displayed on a notice board at the party’s national headquarters, Wadata Plaza, in Abuja, the PDP will begin the sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination forms on March 7 and conclude on March 21. The aspirants have March 25 deadline to submit the completed forms.
As outlined in the PDP timetable, governorship aspirants will undergo screening at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja on March 27. The screening reports are scheduled to be submitted on March 29.
Speaking to The PUNCH in an interview on Monday, Ajayi, who was the deputy governor during the first term of the late governor Rotimi Akeredolu, said he was ready for the contest.
On the probability of the party adopting a consensus candidate at the primary, Ajayi said, “Consensus can work if all the aspirants agree to it. If one said no, then there is no consensus. All of us must agree without a dissenting voice. It is when the party starts selling forms that you know the real aspirants. Let us wait and see how many persons will obtain the form. I am above 50 and not desperate. I do not think the PDP will not promote transparency.”
Similarly, Afenifere chieftain, Ebiseni, told The PUNCH that he was prepared.
“The schedule has been communicated to us and it really couldn’t have met any aspirant unawares. For us, we have always been prepared. I was here in 2016 and 2020 on the same PDP platform. We have a comparative advantage in our knowledge of the territory and our relationship with the people. It is our turn.
“As we said recently and in tune with our political history in this state, it is clear that our people are fed up with the ongoing administration. When the government is short of ideas they resort to violence which is now prevalent in the ruling party,” Ebiseni said.
