The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced its withdrawal from the local government elections scheduled for Saturday, January 18, 2025.
The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) had earlier cleared 13 political parties, including the PDP, to participate in the elections. However, the PDP’s withdrawal reduces the number of parties in the race to 12.
In a statement released on Thursday by the party’s Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Leye Igbabo, the PDP cited a lack of confidence in the credibility of the electoral process as the reason for its decision.
The statement, titled “Ondo PDP Withdraws from Participating in the January 18th Local Government Election,” followed consultations with party leaders, stakeholders, and the PDP National Secretariat.
The party accused ODIEC of failing the “integrity test,” alleging double standards and a lack of transparency.
“Our party fielded 15 chairmanship candidates in 15 local government areas and 131 councillorship candidates. But, from all indications, ODIEC’s credibility, transparency, and impartiality have failed the integrity test. Recent observations and reports point to a troubling pattern of double standards by ODIEC, raising serious doubts about their ability to conduct a free, fair, and credible election,” the statement read.
The PDP emphasized that participating in what it described as a compromised process would contradict its commitment to democracy and credible electoral practices.
“As a responsible political party committed to democracy and the rule of law, we cannot, in good conscience, confer legitimacy on this compromised process by participating in the election. 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,” the statement concluded.
The withdrawal of the PDP, a major political party, raises questions about the credibility of the electoral process and poses challenges for ODIEC in its efforts to ensure a transparent election.
