Ondo Guber: PDP NEC Rallies Aspirants, Discusses Zoning, Consensus

By Ayodele Oni

Still in search of strategy to win the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State, the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) held a meeting with Governorship aspirants and some leaders in Abuja on Tuesday.

Topmost of the meeting were zoning arrangement and consensus candidate to fly the flag of the party.

At the meeting, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, said the PDP, has learnt its lessons from the mistakes it made in the handling of the Ondo State Governorship Election in 2020 which led to its loss.

He maintained that this time around, the party was poised to ensure that such mistakes were not repeated noting that all aspirants will be given a level playing field to compete for the party’s ticket.

“We’ve learnt from the last governorship election. Actually, you learn more when you fail than when you succeed. So we learnt bitter lessons.

“For the benefit of everybody, the governorship election in Ondo State is not going to be handed over to anybody. It will be a fight. As PDP, we will fight.

“If, in the past four years ago, we had that division within us that allowed the seat to slip away from us.

“At this time, we are united and we will stay united all the way to the election. So this is a time for us to come together.

“We may actually disagree on a few things, but from our own situation in the Oyo States. Yes, we have disagreement, but we’re solving our problems even as we speak. We’re not solving it outside. We’re solving it right inside the Government House.

“So, if you disagree, it’s normal. But let us win the Government House and then all the areas of disagreement we will keep addressing it. We can only share success; failure is difficult to share.

“So, by God’s grace, we shall be successful in the forthcoming Ondo State governorship election.”

Earlier, National Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Umar Damagun, explained that the meeting was convened as part of the party’s efforts to forge unity among members and stakeholders ahead of the party primary.

“This meeting is part of the fulfillment of the process of the primaries that is before us and we invited you here so that we’ll have an interactive session.

“Three important items are being mentioned by National Organizing Secretary. During this interaction, we’ll discuss the possibilities of how to achieve these three things why we invite you to express and talk freely.

“I want to enjoin all members, when you are asked to say your views, please we should talk with caution the critical thing that is before us which is the primary  and eventually the election coming up.

“We have had series of meetings in Ondo and all the issues raised and there appears to be some level of understanding, I will not say agreement yet, some level of understanding.

“I can say, particularly with respect to issue of zoning appears to have been achieved, that the governorship of governorship candidate of the PDP would come from the south central district of the state.

“And if you look at all the other political parties, everyone that is contesting is from the South senatorial district.

“So, there appears to be state consensus, the consensus of the people of Ondo State that the next governor of Ondo should come from the South senatorial district.”

“On the issue of consensus, yes we still have argument back and forth, But zoning is already achieved.”