Scores of aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State on Friday protested alleged plans by some party chieftains to manipulate the delegates’ list for the July 22 governorship primary.
The protesters stormed the Heritage Hotel, Alagbaka Akure venue of the PDP Ad Hoc Committee meeting, alleging that the state Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi, who recently defected to the party, was planning to bribe members of the panel to replace names of the delegates across the 203 wards of Ondo State with those loyal to him.
They also alleged that some of Ajayi’s campaign committee members, Dr. Kola Ademujimi and a House of Assembly member representing Idanre, Mr Festus Akingbaso, had been at the hotel with members of the election panel while other aspirants were locked out.
“We want equity and justice, we want this primary to be free and fair and we don’t want the committee to compromise the standard. That is why we are protesting. We don’t want anyone to cut corners, we want to have free and fair primary so that whoever wins will have our full support at the October election,” one of the protesters said.
PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr Zadok Akintoye, who confirmed the protest, however, said he could not ascertain the allegation against Ajayi.
But Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Mr Tope Okeowo, denied the allegations against his boss, saying some people might have been sponsored to malign Ajayi’s name.
He said the deputy governor could not be a party to such an activity.
“The governor is not a desperate politician. He is a lawyer and knows the rules of the game; the allegation of the protesters is nothing but falsehood against the person of the deputy governor. I can tell you it is not true,” Okeowo stated.