Ondo: Confusion In ZLP, As Two Lay Claim To Governorship Ticket |The Source

By Ayodele Oni, Akure

Anxiety and apprehension have gripped members of Zenith Labour Party, (ZLP), in Ondo state as the party is yet to agree on its candidate for the October 10 Governorship poll.

The deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) for submission and substitution expires today, 18th August.

Investigations revealed that as at close of work Monday, the candidate elected during the party’s primary last month, Mr Rotimi Benjamin, was still laying claim to the ticket.

Rotimi was reported to have insisted that he was not aware of any move by the party to substitute his name with that of the Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Agboola Ajayi, who decamped to the ZLP last Friday.

Ajayi, who had earlier dumped the APC and PDP, joined the ZLP, officially, last Friday with the sole aim of picking the party’s governorship ticket.

According to sources close to Rotimi, neither the INEC, nor the leadership of ZLP, has notified him about any substitution of his name.

It was learnt that whatever transpired was between the Deputy Governor and some few leaders of ZLP at the National and State levels.

Although, there are indications that Rotimi may cave in to pressure, he is aggrieved that the Deputy Governor and the leadership of the party have failed to meet with him to discuss his replacement.

“The Deputy Governor has been meeting the National leader of the party, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, and some other leaders of the party at the state level without carrying along the elected Flagbearer of the party, who was duly elected at the party’s Congress last month.

“They even went to the extent of picking for him a running mate. There is no time Rotimi was invited for any discussion and tomorrow (18th August) is the deadline,” a source within the party stated.

However, Rotimi’s stand now runs contrary to an interview he granted Premium Times over the weekend. He told the  Online medium that he voluntarily relinquished his ticket to Ajayi, and.was under no pressure at all, because he wanted the state to go back to the “glorious days of Mimiko.”

However, an insider told this magazine that “Rotimi is a politician. He knows what he is doing. He has spent money. They should, at least, meet him half way, and reimburse some of the money he spent. That is how it is done.

It was gathered, though,  that leaders of ZLP held an all night meeting with a view to resolving the issue and beat INEC deadline which terminates  midnight today.