Following the substitution of the name of Eyitayo Jegede, SAN with that of Jimoh Ibrahim as the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next month’s governorship election in Ondo State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), cracks have emerged within the camp of the South-West zonal leadership loyal to the factional National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu-Sheriff.
The zonal executive, led by Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe, had, at the weekend, experienced clear disagreements over the candidature of Ibrahim, with the party’s Organizing Secretary in the zone, Chief Femmy Carrena, disagreeing with Ogundipe over Ibrahim.
Carrena, in a statement, informed Sunday Tribune that he disagreed with Ogundipe that the South-West he leads was in support of the decision by INEC to have Ibrahim listed as the PDP candidate for the Ondo governorship poll, saying he should be counted out of such decision.
The zonal organising secretary maintained that he took such position because he could not see himself supporting Ibrahim as the PDP standard-bearer for the coming governorship election in Ondo State.
“My chairman sir, with due respect, I will have to disassociate myself from the exco sir, because I don’t represent that candidate. So sorry sir,” Carrena said in the statement.
It would be recalled that Chief Ogundipe had, in a statement issued on Thursday, congratulated both Ibrahim and Mr Ebenezer Alabi, his running mate, on the coming poll, saying “it was time for genuine members of PDP particularly in the state to put the past behind them and support the PDP ticket entrusted in the hands of Mr Jimoh Ibrahim as the legally recognised candidate after being validly nominated.”