THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday, released the list of candidates for the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State, with the name of the factional candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Jimoh Ibrahim, missing in the list.
The list, which include 28 names of candidates from various political parties for the election, however, have that of the former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, from the Markarfi-led faction of the party, as PDP standard-bearer in the election.
Also, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was recognised as the party’s candidate, while Dr Olu Agunloye also made the list for Social Democratic Party (SDP) .
Other names on the list included Pastor Oladare Amuda, Accord; Yinka Oloyede Orokoto, Action Alliance (AA); Dr Akin Olowookere, Alliance for Democracy (AD); Mrs Modupe Ogunyoku, African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Mrs Helen Folasade for African People Alliance (APA):
Chief Adetuwo Ogunjumelo, Allied Congress Party; Prince Peter Fasua, Citizens Popular Party (CPP); Dr Oluwadare Bada, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP); Bolarinwa Aidi of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), among others also made the list.
Meanwhile, Advance Congress of Democrats (ACD) and United Progressive Party (UPP) were said to have refused to submit their nomination forms to the commission.
The statePDP publicity secretary, Banji Okunomo, congratulated the party’s candidate, Jegede, while urging the aggrieved members of the party in the state to join hands with the him to ensure victory for PDP in the governorship election slated for November.
He noted that the declaration of Jegede as PDP candidate by INEC indicated that he had fulfilled all necessary process to contest in the governorship election and put end to all doubts about his candidature.
Okunomo called on the party’s supporters to commence mobilisation and campaign across the 18 local government areas of the state, while assuring that the party would continue with the good work of the present administration in the state.
However, PDP factional chairman in the state, Biyi Poroye, said the faction would be heading to court, saying INEC was wrong to have confirmed Jegede as the party’s candidate.
He insisted that Ibrahim remained the authentic candidate of the party for the governorship election and vowed to challenge the action of the electoral umpire in court.
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