MEMBERS of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South senatorial district of Ondo State have stressed the need to produce the party’s candidate for this year’s governorship election,

Besides, the part in the district has started strategizing and mobilizing with a bid to triumph in the coming local government elections billed April 23.

To this effect, a stakeholders meeting was held at Ore, Headquarters of Odigbo Local Government Area (LGA) at the weekend. The chairman of the party in the South senatorial district, Senator Omololu Meroyi, who convened the meeting, charged party members to gear up for the task ahead.

Meroyi stated that the council poll was a harbinger for the governorship race and charged members to go back to their areas to ensure that they win 100 percent of the chairmanship and councillorship seats in the 18 LGAs of the state.

He noted that the oncoming poll’s result alongside other electoral advantages would add credibility to their agitation to produce the next governor in 2017.

The stakeholders and party leaders, who were drawn from the six councils of the district, among other things, resolved that it was imperative for the PDP as a matter of urgency to put itself together, especially in the South which is the home of PDP in the State.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the PDP welcomed the decision of Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission to conduct local government election in April this year saying it was a testimony of the commitment of the Governor Olusegun Mimiko to the democratization of governance at the grassroots.

Other highlights of the communiqué were: “Stakeholders are enjoined to ensure inclusive and credible Local Government party primaries from which the best candidates will emerge in accordance with the constitution of the party,” they stated in the communiqué.

“We appreciate the on-going integration and re-engineering at all levels of the party in the state towards ensuring one big strong family where all former cleavages within the party are fully addressed.

“The South Senatorial District, being the proven stronghold of the PDP and the basis of the party’s comparative advantage in all elections and the economic base of Ondo State, resolve to liaise with other critical leaders in the state to ensure that our district presents the Governorship Candidate of the party in the 2016 gubernatorial election.

“We appreciate Governor Olusegun Mimiko for his giant strides in the various Sectors of the State. Ondo South is solidly behind him.”