Ondo PDP gets new executives, dep gov snubs congress

Yiaga Africa promises to ensure free, fair gubernatorial poll
The Ondo State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has elected new executive council members headed by Fatai Adams as the state chairman, but the deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, was conspicuously absent.

The state congress was held in Akure on Tuesday, where Adams, who is the immediate past state deputy chairman and former state lawmaker representing Akoko North-West, emerged winner.

He polled 1,343 votes to defeat the former Ose Local Council Chairman, Dennis Alonge, who scored 369 votes, while Mr. Tola Alabere defeated Benson Enikuomehin as deputy chairman.

For the post of state Secretary, a legal practitioner, Mr. Oluseye Olujimi, polled 1,385 votes.

The Guardian learnt that the deputy governor, Ajayi, who was the second runner-up in the party’s governorship primary election, had been avoiding PDP events in the state.

Sources within the party said it was not unconnected to his plans to defect to the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) to contest the governorship election after losing the PDP primary to Eyitayo Jegede.

Adams, in his acceptance speech, lauded the party’s delegates and assured the party faithful that he would vigorously unite all interests in the party.

Meanwhile, a non-governmental organisation, Yiaga Africa, has expressed its commitment to ensure free, fair and credible election in the governorship election in Ondo State.

The Director of Programme, Cynthia Mbamalu, disclosed this yesterday during a round-table discussion with journalists in Akure as part of preparation towards the election.

Mbamalu noted that the group promotes democratic governance, accountability, human rights and civic participation, adding that its thematic areas include elections, legislative engagement, governance and development.

“Our mission is to build and support democracies anchored on the principles of inclusion, accountability and justice through research, advocacy and capacity-building,” she said.

The director, who decried the poor turnout of voters during elections, attributed it to loss of confidence in the electoral process and governance by the people, advocating the need for all stakeholders to partner to change the trend.

She said that Yiaga Africa would deploy Watch The Vote (WTV), an advanced election day observation methodology called the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT).