Babatope Okeowo 
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) to show commitment to the conduct of the Local Government election fixed for February next year.
The opposition party in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Kennedy Peretei said the state electoral umpire must explain whether or not it would conduct elections in the newly created Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) or the 18 Local Government recognized by the 1999 constitution.
Peretei in a statement titled “Ondo LG election: APC sitting on keg gunpowder” said ODIEC has not shown commitment to free and fair local government election.
It said “Lately, State Chairman of APC, Mr Ade Adetimehin has been dancing around town with those he claimed defected from opposition parties to the APC, but it is clear now that, Adetimehin and his co-travellers are comfortably seated on a keg of gun powder.
“A couple of months ago, the ODIEC announced its readiness to conduct Local Government Elections in the eighteen Local Government Areas in December 2023. However, the electoral body rescheduled the polls for February 2024. While preparations were in top gear, the State Government announced the creation of 33 LCDAs.
“The confusion and protests that greeted the mere political rascality of the Akeredolu administration tagged LCDA creation is yet to settle. ODIEC is yet to clear the air on whether or not elections will be held in the newly created LCDAs.
“Amidst all of these, APC leaders mobilised themselves to ODIEC headquarters in Oba-Ile, Akure to physically destroy the list of “supposed” APC Candidates for the LG elections, claiming that, there was nowhere primary elections were held to nominate candidates.
“Across the State, there are protests of imposition of candidates by the wife of the Governor, Mrs Betty Akeredolu. There are reports that some of the candidates are not even card-carrying members of the APC. Their only qualification is being Betty’s kinsmen.
“The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Ondo State Chapter urges ODIEC to clear the air on whether or not they are sincere about the conduct of the Local Government elections instead of allowing our party candidates to waste their resources on phantom LG polls.
“Our party also wishes to advise Adetimehin, Betty Akeredolu, and APC to allow due process in nominating candidates for the elections instead of courting trouble as that will amount to sitting on a keg of gunpowder.”
