Please postpone Ondo election - Group begs INEC

The Ilaje/Ese-Odo Renaissance Group, IRG, in Ondo State has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to postpone the November 26, governorship election in the state by two weeks.

This, it said, will enable all the major political parties resolve their legal disputes.

IRG noted that the legal crises have brought confusion to the parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ahead of the poll.

In PDP, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede SAN and Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim are battling for the party ticket.

Already, INEC has recognised Ibrahim following a federal high court ruling which favoured him.

The runner-up during the September 3 governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Segun Abraham hasd approached a court to challenge the candidature of Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN.

He is praying the court to declare him winner of the poll.

Also, Chief Olusola Oke’s candidacy is being challenged by a faction of the National Executive members of the Alliance for Democracy, AD.

In a statement issued and signed by its chairman, Mr. Sunday Menukuro, the IGR said postponing the poll will reduce the tension already generated by the legal crises.

The group appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to wade into the political crises rocking the state.

The statement reads, “curiously, all the major political parties in Ondo State are embroiled in court crisis to the extent that it has generated serious tension in the state.

“We are also not unmindful of the more serious one rocking the PDP in the state where unknown member of the party was recognised by INEC as the party candidate and denied the most popular person, Jegede the party ticket.

“Postponing the election by two weeks or more, would not only make the various matters to have been settled in the courts, it would also reduce to the bearest minimum the tension this issues had generated in the state.

“We also call on President Buhari to wade into the crisis in the state which was alleged to have been clandestinely sponsored by some powerful personalities in his government.

“President Buhari should be alive to his responsibilities and not allow some people in his cabinet to hijack the government from him thereby giving his government a bad name.”