The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Ondo, has said that it would participate in the local government election coming up on December 16 of this year.

Fatai Adams, the state chairman of the main opposition party, disclosed this to journalists on Thursday, in Akure, Ondo’s capital city.

Mr Adams explained that the party’s resolve to take part in the local government election was to allow “tested hands” be in charge of the administration of the grassroots in Ondo.

“Gone are the days when local government administration under the PDP was alive to its constitutional responsibilities. Gone are the days when local governments embarked on the construction of rural roads, markets, and other social amenities at the grassroots. Gone are the days when capable and tested hands were in charge of government at the grassroots.

“It is against this background that our party will participate in the local government election, so as to bring development to the grassroots again, as it was under previous PDP administrations,” he told reporters at a briefing attended by the State Executive Council of the party.

The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) announced December 16, 2023, for the conduct of the local government election.

Joseph Aremo, the ODIEC chairman, made the declaration at the stakeholders meeting at its secretariat, in Oba Ile Area of Akure, last month.

Mr Aremo said the commission had kick-started the process of the election by issuing 360 days’ notice for the conduct of the election to political parties and other stakeholders with guidelines for the poll.

He revealed that the guidelines issued to stakeholders were to ensure that democracy does not suffer at the grassroots, adding that the commission was expecting interested registered political parties to obtain forms at no cost from ODIEC.

But speaking further on Thursday, Mr Fatai stated that the third tier of the government which is the closest to the people at the grassroots had been completely paralysed in Ondo.

He noted that the LG administration, specifically under Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, had been muzzled rather than serving the interest of the grassroots people as entrenched in the country’s constitution.

“So, our resolve to participate is to reverse the uneventful and uninspiring narratives. It is to restore the lost glory of local government administration and its pride.

“This resolve is deliberate and we are conscious of the agenda of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to continue to muzzle the local government administrations by foisting his stooges on the people.

“We can, therefore, gauge his temperature and the mood of the APC as well as the inconveniences this our resolve may cause its members who erroneously see local government as their cash cow, being the reward for their hypocrisy and sycophancy to the Governor,” the PDP chair added.

While stressing that the ruling government of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state would be resisted by the people of the grassroots, Mr Adams said the people have been bearing the brunt of inept, colourless, unenviable, dry, and retrogressive governance at that very important layer of the current government.

He, however, advised ODIEC to perform its constitutional role as an impartial arbiter and avoid “robbing Peter to pay Paul” by the time the exercise commenced.

“We are passionately appealing to the chairman and other members of the Commission to always act on the side of the people bearing in mind that their Commission is being financed by the taxpayers’ money and not from the APC government which merely appointed them.

“They should ensure utmost transparency of the electoral process, exhibit decency, decorum, and discipline that is expected of their high offices, and not compromise for any self-serving or pecuniary gains so that posterity will be kind to them at the end of the day.”

Mr Adams further revealed that necessary machinery had been put in place which would culminate in the electoral victory of the opposition party at the polls.

“We are participating to win by the grace of God. We are assuring you and the general public that we are prepared to participate in the electoral contest with the fervent hope that the Governor and his APC will allow the Commission to perform its role without undue interference and interruptions,” he maintained.