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It’s against internal democracy – APC, don
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Gov is for all – Ruling party
An uproar is trailing the purchase of nomination forms by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State for the forthcoming congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
The governor announced the purchase of the nomination forms on Monday via a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa.
The aide said the governor had bought forms for members of the party who are interested in vying for offices at the ward, local government and state levels for the party’s congresses slated for October this year.
While All Progressives Congress (APC) condemned the act of using state resources to fund his party and not allowing internal democracy to thrive, some members of the party expressed concern that the governor had polarized the party.
APC spokesman in the state, Dr. Azzez Olatunde, said Makinde is guilty of what he alleged the late former governor of the state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, did – not allowing internal democracy.
He wondered why the governor would use state resources to buy forms for the members of his political party when the state is having financial challenges.
A factional leader of PDP in the state, Alhaji Abdlerasheed Adebisi Olopoeniyan, while commenting on the development alleged that those the governor purchased the forms for were not authentic PDP members in the state.
He said; “Makinde didn’t buy forms for those of us who are real PDP members in Oyo State. We purchased forms for candidates in all the 33 LGAs about two weeks ago and we have submitted the forms.
“He is planning to have a parallel congress which is not the best for our party,” he said.
Reacting, the PDP spokesman, Engr. Akeem Olatunji, said the governor bought the forms from his pocket, adding that he had been buying forms for candidates before he became governor of the state.
He argued that the party has no faction in the state, saying “but those who may not feel like getting the forms from the state should get it from the national headquarters in Abuja.”
He further said: “Well the governor bought the forms from his pocket. You know we have to travel to Abuja to get the forms, so we approached the governor to assist us to get them. Don’t forget, he was a rich man before he became governor. He has been buying forms for members before he became governor.
“The governor is not stopping anybody from contesting. He has the power to stop them from buying forms, but he didn’t do that. The governor had demonstrated that he is for everybody in the party. Immediately he bought the forms, he handed them over to the party and he is not interfering. “
A Professor of Political Science at the University of Ibadan, Prof. Dhikru Adewale Yagboyaju, condemned the development, saying it will not give room for internal democracy.
“The sponsor becomes more or less a godfather; his wishes must be considered above others. This can hamper internal party democracy and indeed governance as a whole.
“Except the number of aspirants is low and the cost of the nomination form is also low, an individual bearing the cost alone could be violating the spending limits for an individual as provided in the political finance regulations,” he also said.
