The Peoples Democratic Party has collected N259m from selling forms to seven gubernatorial hopefuls in Ondo State.
The gubernatorial election in Ondo State is scheduled for November 16, 2024.
The PDP began selling forms on March 7 and ended the process on Thursday, March 21, according to its timetable.
The aspirants who purchased the forms are required to fill and submit them by March 25.
The PDP sold the Nomination Form for N30m, the Expression of Interest Form for N5m, Party Rebranding Fee for N1m, and Secretariat Charges for N1m.
However, the party waived the Expression of Interest Form fee for female aspirants and those with disabilities.
As per the party’s activities schedule, the PDP will conduct a congress on April 25, 2024, to determine its gubernatorial candidate.
The party announced that it will use the indirect mode of primary to select its gubernatorial candidate.
By Thursday afternoon, seven aspirants had bought N35m forms and paid the N2m charges at the PDP national headquarters, Wadata Plaza, Abuja, according to our correspondent.
The aspirants who purchased the forms include a former Ondo State Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi; a former commissioner and Afenifere chieftain, Olusola Ebiseni; Akinwumi Adeolu, Otunba Bamidele Akingboye, Kolade Akinjo, Bosun Arebuwa, and lawyer John Mafo.
The PUNCH It has been exclusively gathered that the PDP has chosen the indirect primary method to select its candidate for the Ondo State governorship.
A senior member of the PDP National Working Committee, speaking anonymously, mentioned, “The PDP’s Ondo State ticket is open to all. The NWC has not been informed of any consensus, and we have approved delegates and three ad hoc arrangements for an indirect primary.
“This means that members will elect delegates at ward and local government levels, and these delegates will then choose the party’s candidate through an indirect primary.”
In the meantime, two gubernatorial aspirants in Ondo State, Bosun Arebuwa and Kolade Akinjo, have advised fellow aspirants not to see securing the party’s ticket as a matter of life and death.
They stressed that the aim was to rescue the people from the alleged mismanagement of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Arebuwa and Akinjo spoke to reporters in Abuja after obtaining their forms at the PDP secretariat.
Arebuwa stated, “In PDP, we have learned our lessons and we are united; I can assure you that we are united. And it’s only a fool that will be going through what we are experiencing and not be united against their enemies.
“I have always supported any candidate in the PDP. Getting the ticket or not getting it does not stop me from supporting. It’s not a do-or-die affair. I am not desperate, but I am ready to serve our people; that’s my goal.
“It is not about me. That’s why you don’t see my posters everywhere. It’s about our people and our party.”
Akinjo mentioned that this fulfills his goal of joining the PDP primaries to become the party's gubernatorial candidate. He believes that now is the right time for this specific ambition.
Our aim is to offer a different option to the current mismanagement in that state. We want to provide an alternative to the belief that it's impossible to provide water to the people, the notion that promoting free education is unachievable, and the corrupt practices. I represent an alternative to all the things they can't accomplish in Ondo State.
The purpose of my ambition is to bring back good governance in Ondo State, make transparency a priority, and ensure a much better quality of life for our people.
