Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has learnt its lessons from the mistakes it made in the handling of the Ondo State Governorship Election in 2020 which led to its loss.
He said this time around, the party was poised to ensure that such mistakes were not repeated noting that all aspirants will be given a level playing field to compete for the party’s ticket.
Makinde said this during a meeting between Ondo PDP stakeholders and the National Working Committee, in Abuja, on Tuesday.
He said, “We’ve learnt from the last governorship election. Actually, you learn more when you fail than when you succeed. So we learned bitter lessons.
“For the benefit of everybody, the governorship election in Ondo State is not going to be handed over to anybody. It will be a fight. As PDP, we will fight.
“If, in the past four years ago, we had that division within us that allowed the seat to slip away from us.
“At this time, we are united and we will stay united all the way to the election. So this is a time for us to come together.
“We may actually disagree on a few things, but from our own situation in the Oyo States. Yes, we have disagreement, but we’re solving our problems even as we speak. We’re not solving it outside. We’re solving it right inside the Government House.
“So, if you disagree, it’s normal. But let us win the Government House and then all the areas of disagreement we will keep addressing it. We can only share success; failure is difficult to share.
“So, by God’s grace, we shall be successful in the forthcoming Ondo State governorship election.”
Earlier, National Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Umar Damagun, explained that the meeting was convened as part of the party’s efforts to forge unity among members and stakeholders ahead of the party primary.
Damagum said, “This meeting is part of the fulfillment pf the process of the primaries that is before us and we invited you here so that we’ll have an interactive session.
“Three important items are being mentioned by National Organising Secretary. During this interaction, we’ll discuss the possibilities of how to achieve these three things why we invite you to express and talk freely, I want to enjoin all members, when you are asked to say your views, please we should talk with caution the critical thing that is before us which is the primary before us and eventually the election coming up.
“I want to also reiterate that there is going to be on candidate and I know so many contestants that are interested in this but it’s only going to be one candidate that will emerge.”
Speaking shortly after the meeting, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, explained that the three issues were discussed noting that conversations around the emergence of a consensus candidate is still ongoing.
He said, “What was paramount in our own dispensation is the PDP is a Democratic Party and that respect its own constitution and we agreed we will in every action that we take going forward in this process, the constitution will be our guide.
“More importantly we talked about unity in the part because without unity whether you zone or not , consensus or not, you don’t go anywhere.
“So, we have Major on unity and we recognize the fact that conversation will continue.
“And the governor of oyo state had shown commitment to be part of that process. We expect to have several other meetings going forward.
“One thing that was firmed, the NWC confirmed to every member that there will be free, transparent process leading to whoever becomes the candidate from our primary election .
“This is a continuing conversation, because we know our Constitution We will abide by the rules and the constitution will be guided by the need for fairness, equity, and in need, of course, particularly Ondo state is going through so much problem with the APC, which is just a replica of what’s going on in Nigeria.
“So, we are going to work as a party to ensure that whatever decision and action we take will be consistent with our constitution and more importantly, with the interest of the people of Ondo State who have gone through so much in the last five years under APC.”
One of the governorship aspirants who attended the meeting, Chief Olusola Ebiseni, expressed delight that all the issues discussed were part of an ongoing discussion on how the party can achieve success.
He said, “We have had series of meetings in Ondo and all the issues raised and there appears to be some level of understanding, I will not say agreement yet, some level of understanding.
“I can say, particularly with respect to issue of zoning appears to have been achieved, that the governorship of governorship candidate of the PDP would come from the south central district of the state.
“And if you look at all the other political parties, everyone that is contesting is from the South senatorial district.
“So, there appears to be state consensus, the consensus of the people of Ondo State that the next governor of Ondo should come from the South senatorial district.”
Asked if the issue of consensus was agreed upon, he said, “On the issue of consensus, yes we still have argument back and forth, But zoning is already achieved.”
