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The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission has assured all that the withdrawal of the Peoples Democratic Party from the local government election scheduled for Saturday will not hinder the electoral process.
The Ondo State chapter of the PDP, in a statement issued by its Director of Media and Publicity, Leye Igbabo, announced its withdrawal from the election.
According to the statement, the PDP stated that it had no confidence in the electoral process conducted by the ODIEC.
Speaking with journalists at the headquarters of the commission in Akure, the state capital, the chairman of ODIEC, Dr Joseph Aremo, declared that the withdrawal of the main opposition party would not affect the conduct of the poll.
The chairman also denied the allegation of being compromised, as he said the commission was transparent and fair to all the parties in the election.
He added, “No candidate can contest any position as far as the election is concerned if it’s not sponsored by a political party.
“For us, what we have done is to create a template where every party has the ability to showcase whatever it has. Now, they (PDP) have been part and parcel of the process. They have candidates and their candidates appeared for screening. We verified their particulars.
“Even they came two days ago to submit a list of their agents. But like I said, it’s all about the party. Because if we don’t have a party participating, we can’t conduct an election. Now, until yesterday, I got a letter saying that they are withdrawing from the process. If a party out of 13 is withdrawing, are we not going to jeopardise the interests of other people?
“We have enough parties. But that does not mean that if we have even five people withdrawing today, but the process has been on for some time, we cannot stop the process. I don’t understand this system.”
The ODIEC chairman also reiterated that the election would go on without any security breach as the commission had put measures in place to ensure the security of lives and property before, during and after the poll.
“Because there is an impression that even having voted, there is not going to be security of property, that people may not come out to vote.
“Now, with the meeting we have had, with all the strategies I have put in place, I can assure you that the election is going to be seamless and peaceful,” Aremo stated.
