PDP South-West Congress: Accreditation of delegates begins in Osogbo

Accreditation of the 743 delegates for the South West zonal congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), holding in Osogbo has commenced.

This follows the arrival of sensitive and non-sensitive materials, display of ballot boxes, presence of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), screening of delegates, journalists and other individuals at the Women and Children Development Initiative Foundation (WOCDIF), Osogbo, venue of the congress.

Chairman of the Electoral/Congress Committee, Governor Samuel Ortom, represented by his deputy, Benson Abounu, alongside other members of the committee, received the delegates tags and other voting materials at 11.20 am.

Chairs inside the venue of the voting have been marked for each of the six South-West states.

There is a huge security presence in and outside the hall with security officials allowing people to walk in only after proper identification.

Men of the Nigeria Police, Department of State Security Service (DSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), are at the entrance and around the venue.

Some of the security personnel were also strategically located few kilometres away from the venue of the congress.

42 aspirants were cleared by the PDP screening committee on Sunday, to contest for the various positions in the zone.

The congress is being attended by 734 delegates across the six western states. According to the list released by Retired Col. Austin Akobundu, the PDP National Organising Secretary, Oyo has 171 delegates, Osun -130, Lagos 101, Ogun- 112, Ondo 114, and Ekiti with 115 delegates.

The chairman of the screening committee Sen. Dino Melaye had said on Sunday that the screening of aspirants was very peaceful.

A former deputy governor of Oyo State, Taofeek Arapaja, and the immediate zonal chairman of the party, Dr Eddy Olafeso, are contesting for the chairmanship position.

While Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, is supporting Arapaja for the chairmanship position, Mr Ayo Fayose, a former Ekiti governor is supporting Olafeso.

Zainab Sa’id