By Our Reporter.
The choice of billionaire businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim, as the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the November 26 governorship poll may not have gone down well with the Ahmodu Sherriff-led faction of the party.
Ibrahim belongs to the faction.
Armadanews.com got it on good authority from those who ought to know from the Abuja office of the PDP factional leadership at the weekend that rather than the members jubilating over the choice of Ibrahim the reverse is the case.
Following the pronouncement last week by INEC that Ibrahim would fly the flag of the party during the coming governorship poll, the gulf in the Ondo PDP got wider, with Governors Olusegun Mimiko(Ondo) and Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti State), publicly condemning the process that threw him up and warning against the party fielding him for the exercise.
Mimiko had even gone to Aso Rock to register his grievances before President Muhammadu Buhari, and to urge the President to call INEC officials to order before the members are used to destabilise the peace in Ondo.
Both governors Mimiko and Fayose and their teaming supporters are routing for Professor Eyitayo Jegede and were worried that any attempt to bar Jegede from the contest as the choice of the party in the Ondo gubernatorial race would have untoward implications on both the national PDP as well as the party at the state level.
One of the members of the Sherriff-led faction who would not want his name mentioned, said the PDP is headed for defeat in the election with the choice of Ibrahim. He describes Ibrahim as “lacking in the charm to deliver Ondo to PDP.”
“Even the way he dresses puts everyone off, and we are yet to come to terms that he will be our party’s standard bearer for the Ondo election this month.
“We are not prepared to lose the election, but we are worried that if Jimoh Ibrahim represents us the worse may happen for our party in Ondo State. This is the reason we have always clamoured for speedy resolution of the leadership crisis in PDP so that things could be got right once and for all,” he said.