PDP governorship candidate cautions INEC over party list

A governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Mr. Ladi Adebutu has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against changing the list of candidates submitted to it by the leadership of the PDP.

Adebutu who stormed the PDP Abuja secretariat on Thursday alleged attempts by a faction in the party’s Ogun State chapter to smuggle in unauthorized list of candidates to the commission.

Adebutu, who represents Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North in the House of Representatives, said the national leadership of the PDP had dissolved all parallel state executives in the state.

According to him, the state executive was later reconstituted following valid election into the various positions. He accused a faction, led by the senator representing Ogun East senatorial district, Buruji Kashamu of dividing the PDP in the state.

He accused the Kashamu faction of attempting to submit list of candidates to INEC through the back door.

Speaking with journalists at the PDP secretariat, Adebutu said,  “The National Working Committee set up election and screening committees. Forms were sold, we participated in the primaries and 40 candidates emerged in Ogun State.

“But a parallel group printed forms, sold the forms, held a convention and people emerged. If we allow this kind of lawlessness where people stay in their rooms to pick candidates  and obtain court injunction to sustain it, then there is trouble.

“The element of transparency is totally destroyed. The law clearly states that there shall be only one primary organised by a party.

“This is a deliberate attempt to make the PDP a weaker party in Ogun State like what we saw in Edo and Ondo States. The time we could have spent campaigning, we spent it on conflict resolution in the two cases”.

The governorship candidate urged the INEC and well meaning Nigerians to stand up and oppose those he described as enemies of democracy.