2023: Ogun PDP Aspirant’s Supporters Protest Imposition of Candidate

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Supporters of the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (PDP), aspirant for the Ado-Odo/Ota Federal Constituency in Ogun State, Korede Daodu, yesterday stormed the party’s state secretariat in Abeokuta, alleging imposition of candidate on the constituency, even when primary did not hold in the area.

Specifically, the protesters alleged that they had been to the national secretariat of the party in Abuja and had discovered, that the name of Mr. Mustapha Adekunle had been submitted, as the candidate for the Federal Constituency without holding primary.

The protesters, who stormed the PDP’s secretariat with placards of various inscriptions, stated that the imposition of an unpopular aspirant, if not corrected, would spell room for the party in the area.

They conde mned, the party’s leadership for allegedly allowing the practice, challenging them, how they got the name of the candidate, that was submitted to the National Secretariat, in Abuja.

Some of the placards carried by the protesters, read: “There Was No Primary Election in Ado -Odo/Ota  Federal Constituency; We Say No To Imposition of Candidate in Ado- Odo/It’s Federal Constituency; 2023 Is Our Hope, No Imposition in AdoO Odo/Ota Federal Constituency;  We Say No To Doggery; We  Shall Resist Imposition With Our Vote” among others.

Though, the protesters had gathered at the secretariat, since morning, the State Chairman of the party, Hon. Sikirulahi Ogundele, did not attend to them until about 3:20p.m.

Addressing the protesters, Ogundele asked them to go and document their complaints in form of petition and submit same to the secretariat.

He said the party could not just act on the mere oral complaints of the protesters but must document same, so that the party could submit it to the PDP’s national secretariat for action.

However, while buttressing the complaints of the protesters, the Deputy State Chairman of the PDP, Hon. Leye Odunjo, confirmed that the party did not hold primary in the federal constituency.

Odunjo said: “Though, there was no primary in the federal constituency, the people of the area, said they had been to Abuja and had discovered that a name had been submitted, to the national secretariat.

“They were saying this is not acceptable to them and if care is not taken, it will affect the fortune of the PDP in the area.

“My only advise to them that they should seek all the internal mechanism of the party, before taken any further action.”