PDP in Ido LG Faces Backlash Over Alleged Imposition of Assembly Candidate
......As Party Members Raise Fear of INEC Disqualification
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State has come under criticism following allegations that it sidestepped due process in the emergence of a candidate for the State House of Assembly election.
Reports indicate that some party leaders in the local government announced a candidate during a political meeting held on Tuesday without the participation or consent of other aspirants contesting for the ticket. The development has sparked concerns among party members, who described the move as a violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act.
According to Section 84(2) of the Electoral Act, political parties are required to nominate candidates for elective positions either through direct primaries or by consensus. The law explicitly rules out the use of delegate voting. It mandates that all aspirants must be given equal opportunity to participate in the process or agree to a consensus arrangement.
However, sources within the party alleged that the candidate was “handpicked” in the absence of other aspirants, raising questions about transparency and inclusiveness. It was further gathered that some influential leaders had earlier micro-zoned the ticket to a specific area within the local government, a move critics say disenfranchised other contenders and undermined internal democracy.
Worried by the situation, some party leaders and members have reportedly called on the Oyo State leadership of the PDP and Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene and address the matter urgently.
They warned that failure to resolve the issue could jeopardize the party’s chances in the forthcoming election, stressing that the process used to produce the candidate does not meet the legal requirements for consensus.
“There is fear that if this is not corrected, the party risks disqualification by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as the procedure adopted appears to contravene the Electoral Act,” a party source said.
As of the time of filing this report, the leadership of the PDP in Ido Local Government had not issued an official response to the allegations.
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