…..APC, PDP React
By Shina Abubakar
The Governorship election in Osun State would hold on September 22, 2018, while that of Ekiti State would hold on July 14, 2018.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the timetable on Thursday.
According to the timetable released by the commission, the commencement of campaign has been fixed for April 15, 2018 for Ekiti and June 24, 2018 for Osun.
Reacting to the timetable released by the commission, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi said, he has no doubt that the APC is a party to beat.
He said, the APC was ready for the election and sure of victory, saying, “We have the number and we are not in short supply of integrity and people’s support. We have done it once, twice and we are going to do it again.
“In 2014 when they were armed to the teeth and with huge resources from the Federal Government, we defeated the PDP. Whether in splinter or in whole, no party in Osun can upstage the APC.
“We are not swayed by their noise. That’s in their character. But just take away this: PDP is not an alternative to APC in this state. Quote me after September 22, 2018″, Oyatomi said.
Also, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in its reaction through a chieftain of the party, Mr Diran Odeyemi described the situation as a welcome development, saying it would drive the PDP to hasten its reconciliatory process and reposition itself for the task ahead.
He disclosed that what INEC did was to number the days of the APC as the ruling party in the state, particularly now that the party’s congress to elect new executive members would end by November 4, emphasising that the PDP would ensure that its house is in order to take over from the APC come September 22, 2018.
He added that the leadership of the party is not relenting in its decision to pacify aggrieved members of the party and also appeal to the public, who, according to him, are already tired of the APC excesses in the state for over seven years.
Odeyemi disclosed that the party has confidence in INEC’s ability to conduct free and fair election, but quickly added that the electoral body should remember that it is a special election and should prepare for the complexities the governorship poll is likely to generate.
