INEC confused as PDP factions insist on different candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) plans to decide on who will be the flag-bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Ondo State governorship election, Punch reports.

On Friday, October 14, Justice Okon Abang ordered INEC to drop  Mr Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), whose name was initially admitted as the candidate of the party, and accept Billionaire Jimoh Ibrahim as the legitimate candidate.

The names of the two candidates were separately submitted to INEC by the two factional leaders of the party - Senator Ali Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi.

While the faction of the embattled chairman of the party, Sheriff presented Ibrahim, the Makarfi-led caretaker committee submitted Jegede's name.

The recent judgement by Justice Abang follows his June 29 judgement that INEC should only accept the name of the candidate sent by the Biyi Poroye and Ademola Genty-led state Executive Committee.

This executive is under the leadership of Sheriff at the national level.

"We are aware of the judgement and I must tell you, the confusion in the party is a thing of worry to us," an INEC commissioner told Punch.

"There was one judgement or so, that was brought to us before we accepted Jegede. Now, another one is here. Which one do we obey?

"Anyway, the commission will meet this week to take a decision on what to do."

The Makarfi faction has, however, insisted that Jegede remains the party's candidate for the election.

It argued that the ruling of Justice Abang "does not in any way affect the matter of the PDP candidacy in the forthcoming Ondo State governorship election."

"The issue of Ondo governorship was not the matter before Justice Abang in the suit. The matter before his lordship was in relation to the 2019 general elections," the Makarfi faction stated.

But the Sheriff faction said it is going ahead to inaugurate a national campaign organisation for Ibrahim.