PDP Withdraws From Ondo LG Polls

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State announced on Thursday that it would not participate in the local government council elections scheduled for January 18.

This was disclosed in a statement by the PDP Director of Media and Publicity in the state, Leye Igbabo.

He stated that the decision followed “extensive” consultations with stakeholders, asserting that the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) cannot be trusted to conduct a free and fair election.

“This decision is the result of several layers of consultations with party leaders, stakeholders, and the national secretariat of our great party,” the statement reads.

“Our party fielded 15 chairmanship candidates across 15 local government areas and 131 councillorship candidates.

“However, from all indications, ODIEC’s credibility, transparency, and impartiality have failed the integrity test.

“Recent observations and reports point to a troubling pattern of double standards by ODIEC, raising serious doubts about their ability to conduct a free, fair, and credible election.

“In good conscience, the party cannot confer legitimacy on a compromised process by participating in the election. This withdrawal is in line with our stance on integrity.

“We have, therefore, resolved to withdraw from this exercise to uphold the integrity of our party and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to credible electoral practices.”

According to Igbabo, the PDP remains dedicated to sanitizing the electoral process in the state.

Earlier, the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission had screened 13 political parties, including the PDP, to participate in the council polls.

With the PDP’s withdrawal, 12 parties remain in the race.