The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants and delegates at Ikeja Constituency II say they are willing to wait all day and night to exercise their franchise in the party’s Lagos State House of Assembly and Federal House of Representatives primaries.
The aspirants and delegates spoke on Sunday at the Victory Home Schools, Toyin St., Ikeja, the venue of the party’s primary election.
They decried the non-commencement of voting as at 2.40 p.m., despite the fact that most of them had arrived the venue as early as 7a.m.
The Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) officials were on ground to observe while the returning officers were nowhere around.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nogeria (NAN), Mr. Shodolamu Sunday, the Organising Secretary, PDP Ikeja, said that the aspirants and delegates were on ground but he had yet to see the returning officer from the state, without whose presence the elections could not hold.
“We need the returning officer from the state before the election can commence. The INEC officials are on ground.
“The delegates, aspirants, security officials and Department of State Security (DSS) are also on ground, so it’s the returning officer we are waiting for now.
“We will wait till the returning officer is on ground, even, if it means doing it overnight, we have made provisions for lighting, the election must hold and a candidate must emerge” he said.
Also, Mr Lanre Osundairo, a House of Representative aspirant for Ikeja Federal Constituency, said that he was not sure of what was happening and could not explain why the elections had not commenced as he and other delegates had been on ground since 7.00 a.m.
Osundairo who alleged that rumours had it that the election might be hijacked, however, noted that any election held outside the official venue recognised by INEC would be null and void.
He said that he was, however, hopeful that the election would hold despite the delay.
Similarly, Mrs Dewunmi Williams, an Ikeja House of Representative aspirant, decried the delay in the commencement of the election.
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She said that she had no idea why the electoral officers were not on ground but she believed that there would be an election and a winner would emerge, while the loser would accept defeat.
Williams stressed the need for all party members to join hands and work together.
On his part, Mr. Yakub Daranijo, an House of Representative aspirant, Ikeja Federal Constituency, lamented the delay in commencing the election, but stressed that they were willing to wait till late in the night or the next day to exercise their franchise.
“This election must hold, no matter the delay.
“We have been making phone calls to our leaders, but we are all in the dark as to the reason for such delay. However, we will wait till we can wait no more, even if it means holding a vigil here at the venue,” he said.
NAN reports that 140 aspirants are contesting the PDP ticket for the 40 seats in the Lagos State House of Assembly and 85 for the 24 House of Representatives’ seats. (NAN)
