The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship candidates in the Ondo State local government election have opposed the party’s decision to withdraw from the council election.

The party leadership withdrew its participation in a statement signed by its spokesman, Leye Igbabo, on Thursday.

In the copy of the statement, the party accused the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) of failing the “integrity test.”

“Our party fielded 15 chairmanship candidates in 15 Local Government Areas and 131 Councillorship candidates. But, from all indications, ODIEC’s credibility, transparency, and impartiality have failed the integrity test.

“Recent observations and reports point to a troubling pattern of double standards by ODIEC, raising serious doubts about their ability to conduct a free, fair, and credible election,” the statement read.

However, addressing reporters in Akure, Oluwatuyi Adekanmbi, who spoke on behalf of other chairmanship candidates in Akure South LGA, said they were disappointed by the party’s leadership decision.

Mr Adekanmbi explained that they had already paid for expression of interest forms and nomination forms to participate in the election before the sudden change of mind by the party leaders.

He specifically complained that the party leadership did not consult them before a notice of withdrawal from the exercise was sent to the electoral body. Mr Adekanmbi said it was an aberration and infringement on their right.

“The party has come not only to disappoint us but to disappoint the entire Akure people. As we speak, we know the level of popularity and the depth of acceptability we have in the Akure metropolis.

“They came up in less than 72 hours of the election and without the consent of the aspirants and said PDP was going to boycott that election.

“We see this to be an infringement of our rights, and if they are going to do it, it should not be done to loyal party members like us.

“If the party has now come up without our consent to declare that that election will not hold, we consider that not only as an aberration, as an infringement of rights and even a sin against God and humanity,” he said.

ODIEC had fixed Saturday for the state’s local government election, with 10 political parties fielding chairmanship and councilorship candidates for the exercise.

Earlier on Wednesday, the electoral body announced that it had begun the distribution of non-sensitive materials meant for the election across the 18 LGAs and 309 wards of the state.