South- West PDP rallies support for Olafeso, Jenyo
THE leadership rumpus in the South- West geo- political zone of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) has taken a dramatic turn as majority of the members in the six states endorsed Dr. Eddy Olafeso as the National Vice Chairman.
Aside supporting Olafeso for a second term against the camp of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, they also
Demands sanctity of delegates’ list
backed the candidacy of Rev. Bunmi Jenyo as Zonal Secretary.
A meeting was held in Akure, yesterday, at the Alagbaka residence of Olafeso in preparation for the PDP zonal congress in the South- West under the leadership and tutelage of former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose.
Meanwhile, a formidable caucus of the party had met on same issue in the Lagos State residence of Fayose on Tuesday, scheming on how to return Fayose and Jenyo as zonal leaders.
The PDP caucus meeting in
Akure, which was held behind closed- doors, was a consolidation meeting to begin mobilisation of members across the six states of the South- West geo- political zone for the aforementioned candidates.
It was massively attended by PDP stalwarts who agreed to a communique signed by the Zonal Caretaker Secretary, Daisi Akintan, alongside chairmen of Osun, Ekiti, Lagos and Ogun states, namely: Sunday Bisi, Bisi Kolawole, Adedeji Doherty and Dr. Sikirulai Ogundele respectively.
They warned the party’s
National Organising Secretary, Col. Austin Akobundu and his office against manipulation of the delegates’ list, declaring that “the South- West PDP is not up for sale.”
The caucus directed its members to shun invitation to any meeting called by former Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, saying: “Such meetings are self- serving and for personal gains.”
The leaders lauded Fayose for his leadership roles across the region and commended him for his strong commitment to PDP in the South- West, and Nigeria at large.
T HEIndependent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) has urged security operatives to maintain the same level of professionalism displayed in last year’s governorship polls in Edo and Ondo states for the Anambra State and subsequent elections.
Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, gave the charge during Inter- agency Consultative Committee on Election Security ( ICCES) meeting at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja yesterday.
Despite few skirmishes, stakeholders had commended the electoral umpire and the role of security operatives in the Edo and Ondo governorship polls last year.
“Let me express the appreciation of the commission for the roles played by the members of ICCES in the conduct of the two off- cycle governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states in September and October last year, as well as 16 legislative by- elections in 12 states in the last nine weeks.
“As you are aware, the commission has already released the timetable for the Anambra governorship election scheduled for November 6, 2021. We are also preparing for some legislative by- elections, the first of which is the Kafin Hausa State Assembly in Jigawa State on March 6, 2021. I urge you to maintain the same level of professionalism displayed in the recent elections and ultimately the 2023 general election,” Yakubu stated.
The INEC boss noted that members of ICCES were critical partners to the commission in delivering credible and peaceful elections, including orderly behaviour at the polling unit level.
He, however, maintained that the management of large crowds at polling units across the country had been challenging to INEC officials and security agencies, which, according to him, had, in some cases, resulted in late commencement of polls or disruption of sorting and counting of ballots at polling units. Yakubu told the forum that such disruptions affected electoral outcomes leading, in some instances, to avoidable supplementary elections.
His words: “The success of elections is largely a reflection of what happens at the polling unit level.”