Ondo Reps Bye Election: PDP, APC In Battle Of Wits

By Ayodele Oni

Following the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC),that it would  conduct bye election into some vacant seats at the State Houses of Assembly and National Assembly, aspirants have been jostling to obtain forms.

In Ondo State, bye-election will hold to fill the vacant position at the House of Representatives, occasioned by the death of Mr Adedayo Omolafe, representing Akure North/South Federal Constituency.

According to a statement by the INEC, the bye election and seven others, will hold on Saturday, February 26.

The elections are to be held in Ondo, Plateau, Cross River, and Imo states.

Chairman of People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) in Ondo state, Fatai Adams, confirmed on Thursday that the secretariat had been busy receiving aspirants that come to obtain forms.

Adams, who assured aspirants of a level playing ground, disclosed that expression of interests and nomination forms cost N 2.5 million.

The Chairman, stated that nobody would be denied the opportunity of contesting in the bye election, adding that the leadership of the party would ensure that the primary is credible, free and fair.

He disclosed that the party has no preferred candidate or favorite among the aspirants, noting that the best among them would emerge through a transparent primary to be conducted by the party.

“As a party, we don’t have a favourite candidate, but whoever emerges at the end of the primary becomes the party’s candidate.

“PDP is strong in Akure North and South, the only thing that can make us fail this election is internal wrangling among us; to prevent this from happening, the party will ensure credible primary is conducted.”

He advised that all aspirants should be prepared to support whoever emerges at the end of the primary.

“To prevent crisis, the party is adopting the existing Ad-Hoc delegates list for the primary.”

At the state secretariat of the All Progressive Congress, (APC), it was gathered that aspirants have been coming for enquiry about forms for the bye election, which will be on sale from Monday.

A source disclosed that following woeful performance of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in Akure north/south during the 2020 Governorship election, efforts are being intensified to win the vacant Reps seat as a compensation.

The two local governments, described as PDP strongholds decided to vote enmasse for one of them, Barrister Eyitayo Jegede, PDP candidate, during the Governorship election.

The immediate past Reps member, late Omolafe, Popularly known as Expensive, was also a card carrying member of PDP.