Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde has tasked stalwarts of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to unite and collectively work to ensure the party wins the Nov. 21 governorship election in Ondo.
Governor Makinde said this during a meeting between members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and stakeholders from Ondo state at its National Secretariat, on Tuesday in Abuja.
He advised the stakeholders not to allow a repeat of the mistakes of the 2020 governorship election in which the party went to the poll with a divided house.
“Actually, we learn more when we fail than when we succeed. So, we learned from the bitter lessons of last governorship election held in Ondo in 2020.
“For the benefit of everybody, the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State is not going to be won on a platter of gold; it will be a fight for all the parties.
“If in the past four years, we had division within us that made us lose the seat; at this time, we should be more united to enable us win.
“The Ondo people should learn to be more united to enable the party emerge victorious,’’ he said.
Earlier in his remarks, the party’s acting National Chairman, Alhaji Umar Damagum, said the stakeholders meeting was to discuss the possibilities of arriving at zoning, consensus candidate and mode of primary for Ondo.
Damagum said the meeting, which was in fulfillment of the party released guidelines for the state election, would be an interactive session.
Damagum told the stakeholders that only one candidate would emerge from the party, and urged them to discuss freely but be conscious of their words.
“I had that many aspirants are already warming up, but at the end of the day, it will be only one candidate that will emerge.
“This one candidate will be very important to us to go ahead and reclaim the government house.
“So, while we are making our contributions during our discussion I want us to be conscious and watch our words so that at the end, we can achieve our aim, “he said.
The party National Organising Secretary, Mr Umar Bature said no fewer than 78 leaders from the state were invited for the meeting.
He said the meeting was important following the party’s experience in Edo primary election.
“We have a lot of experience from Edo and we hope to leverage on that to ensure Ondo exercise hold in a more peaceful atmosphere,” Bature said.
The PDP acting Chairman in Ondo state, Mr Tola Alabere, said the meeting was important as it would enable the party put its house in order.
The meeting was attended by National Secretary, Sam Anyawu, Deputy National Chairman (South), Amb. Taofeek Arapaja, and National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.
Others are; former Ondo State PDP governorship candidates in the 2016 and 2020 Olusegun Mimiko, Eyitayo Jegede respectively and some governorship aspirants for the 2024 election among other stakeholders.(NAN)