Politics

Ondo boils over INEC’s governorship list

Published

10 years ago

October 28, 2016

The streets of Ondo State, this Friday, have gone on inferno over the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Jimoh Ibrahim in place of Eyitayo Jegede as the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 2016 gubernatorial election in the state.

Thousands of youths and supporters of Jegede took to the streets to protests the INEC decision with burn fires on the road.

The youths, in a report monitored from Lagos, vowed to resist any attempt to impose another candidate for the PDP other than the popularly accepted Jegede, with the vaunt that they will make the state ungovernable if INEC proceeds with that decision.

Eyitayo Jegede SAN emerged PDP candidate from the Ahmed Makarfi faction of the Party while Jimoh Ibrahim emerged candidate from the Ali Modu Sheriff faction.

Citing a court order, the INEC announced Jimoh Ibrahim of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction on Thursday as the PDP governorship candidate in the November 26 election, claiming the decision was taken in compliance with the rule of law.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that Security personnel comprising the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Police, and the Nigerian Army, have mounted strategic places across the state.

“Many roads have been blocked; there are bonfires all around, and young people are trooping out in numbers to protest INEC’s choice of Jimoh Ibrhaim. They are chanting Jegede la fe (it’s Jegede we want). At a point, the Police fired teargas canisters to disperse them, but they regrouped after about 40 minutes,” it was gathered.

However, Eyitayo Jegede was gathered to have told his supporters to remain calm, saying he is exploring legal options on his candidacy.