CONFUSION IN ONDO AS SHERIFF AND MAKARFI SELL GOVERNORSHIP FORMS

The struggle for the control of the Peoples Democratic Party between the Ali Modu Sheriff and Ahmed Makarfi factions is taking its toll on the party in Ondo State ahead of its governorship primary scheduled for August 22.
Both factions are selling nomination and expression of interest forms to the aspirants, each claiming to be the authentic leadership of the party.
Six aspirants have so far expressed their interest to seek the governorship ticket on the platform of the PDP, namely former Justice Commissioner, Eyitayo Jegede; former Environment Commissioner, Sola Ebiseni; and former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Bamiduro Dada.
Three of them, until recently, served in Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s cabinet, but had to resign to pursue their ambitions.
Other aspirants include business mogul, Jimoh Ibrahim; Niran Sule and Saka Lawal.
While Messrs. Jegede and Lawal obtained forms from the Ahmed Makarfi faction, Messrs Ibrahim, Sule, Ebiseni and Dada obtained theirs from the Modu Sheriff faction.
Messrs. Ebiseni and Dada said they pitched their camp with Mr. Sheriff because they consider him the authentic chairman of the party in the face of the law.
Mr. Dada said he was joining the governorship race as a result of the need to liberate the state.

Mr. Ebiseni, on his part, said he opted to support the Sherif faction in order to take over the party from dictators and to join hands with democrats in the state.
“I love being in the right camp and I believe in equity and fairness and this is one of the reasons I opted for an authentic faction,” Mr. Dada said.
“The step I am taking today will yield positive development for the people of the state. I don’t believe in sectional agenda because I am a detribalised person who believes in the development of the state.
“I will not allow my ambition or destiny to be caged because it will be a sin to God and humanity.”
But the PDP secretariat in Akure is downplaying the split, saying it would end up the same way as the Edo PDP primaries.
It said it was preparing for the primary election, discountenancing the discomfort being thrown on its way by the Sheriff faction.
The Publicity Secretary of the party, Banji Okunomo, said the aspirants who took their forms from the Makarfi faction were sure to end up as the authentic participants in the primary election.
“What happened in Edo, where INEC recognised the Makarfi faction is also going to happen here,” Mr. Okunomo, said.
“We do not have factions in Ondo State PDP because there is only one executive committee elected without controversy in the state.
“Whoever has gone ahead to obtain forms from Sheriff is doing that at his own peril.”
He also noted that the delegates who would vote at the election were those chosen by the exercise conducted by the already established structure.