The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has given reasons for its withdrawal from the Local Government elections scheduled to take place on Saturday, 18 January, 2025, in the state.
The decision was made public through a statement issued by Mr. Leye Igbabo, Director of Media and Publicity of the party in the state.
According to the statement, the PDP’s decision to withdraw from the elections is a result of several consultations with party leaders, stakeholders, and the national secretariat.
The party said it had initially fielded 15 chairmanship candidates in 15 local government areas and 131 councillorship candidates.
However, the PDP said due to concerns over the credibility, transparency, and impartiality of the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC), which is responsible for conducting the elections, it won’t confer legitimacy to the process.
“The party cannot, in good conscience, confer legitimacy on a compromised process by participating in the election. This withdrawal is in line with our stance on integrity.
“We have, therefore, resolved to withdraw our participation in this exercise to uphold the integrity of our party and our unwavering belief in credible electoral practices.
“We further assure our teeming supporters, and the good people of Ondo State, that our commitment to sanitise the electoral process is irrevocable,” the statement read.
