The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State announced on Thursday, January 16, that it would not participate in the local government council elections scheduled for January 18.
The decision was communicated through a statement by the PDP’s Director of Media and Publicity in the state, Leye Igbabo. According to Igbabo, the party made the choice after “wide” consultations with stakeholders, citing concerns over the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC)’s ability to conduct a free and fair election.
“This decision is a product of several layers of consultations of party leaders, stakeholders and the national secretariat of our great party,” the statement reads. “Our party fielded 15 chairmanship candidates in 15 local government areas and 131 councillorship candidates. But, from all indications, ODIEC’s credibility, transparency, and impartiality have failed the integrity test.”
The PDP further expressed that recent reports and observations suggested troubling patterns of double standards by ODIEC, raising serious doubts about the commission’s ability to ensure a free and fair election. “The party cannot, in good conscience, confer legitimacy on a compromised process by participating in the election. This withdrawal is in line with our stance on integrity.”