In a strategic move to bolster their chances in the upcoming Ondo governorship election, at least eight political parties are set to align with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Multiple sources confirmed to Punch on Monday that the smaller parties had reached agreements over the weekend to back the two leading parties.
Under the alignment deals, the leadership of these parties will instruct their supporters to cast their votes for either the APC or PDP candidate.
According to sources, formal announcements are expected within the next 72 hours, and party leaders are already mobilizing their supporters in preparation for election day.
A source who spoke with the platform said, “About eight of the smaller parties want to ally with the bigger parties. These parties’ alliances want to make money from the proposed alliance.
“Many of them have been talking with the leadership of the APC and the PDP and some of the agreements were sealed last weekend and before Friday all of them would announce where they belong.”
Another source said, “It is clear that some candidates of some parties would step down for either Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa (APC candidate) or Agboola Ajayi of the PDP any moment from now because those concerned have concluded the arrangement over the weekend. But the terms of their agreement is what I can’t say for now but there is going to be a merger before Friday.”
Also confirming the development, a source within the APC said about five governorship candidates would discontinue the political journey with their former parties and join the ruling party.
“About five of them (the candidates) will join us before Election Day, they want to collapse their structures with that of Aiyedatiwa and we are very happy about the development, as you know, politics is about numbers. “There is one of the deputy governorship candidates who is very much with us. His mind is not with his candidate again; he has been discussing with the leadership of the APC for a long time, and he too will join us on Wednesday.
“His candidate too is talking with us at a separate level. Don’t be surprised if he too joins us. All of them will be unveiled at the mega rally on Wednesday. All other parties have been talking to us except the PDP,” he stated.
The source, however, could not confirm the financial agreement reached before the deal was sealed.
The APC’s Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Steve Otaloro, said the defectors would be unveiled before the Saturday election.
Otaloro stated, “It is true, some smaller parties are talking to us, we are expecting them hopefully before the day of the election, they are going to join us and it is their entire structure they are bringing in.”
A chieftain of the PDP in the state, on condition of anonymity, faulted the move by the smaller parties, saying the move was all about monetary gains on the part of those who want to merge with the big parties.
“Some of them (smaller parties), as they are talking to us, they are talking to APC; they are using us to bargain, they are asking us, how much do we want to give us? So is a matter of the highest bidder between the APC and us. Those guys are not serious, they also prefer it to be in secret. They are still going on with negotiations with us,” the chieftain stated.
Publicity Secretary of the Ondo PDP, Mr Kennedy Peretei, also confirmed the planned alliance, adding that the arrangement had been going on for quite some time.
He, however, failed to confirm when the merging parties will make the declaration.
“We have been on it for quite some time now but for now, I cannot give you the date it would take place,” the PDP spokesman stated.
No fewer than 17 political parties will participate in the forthcoming election.
The parties cleared for the election, as released by INEC, include the ruling All Progressives Congress, Peoples Democratic Party, Accord Party, Action Alliance, African Action Congress, African Democratic Congress, African Democratic Party and All Progressives Grand Alliance.
Others are the Allied Peoples Movement, Action Peoples Party, Labour Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, National Rescue Movement, Peoples Redemption Party, Social Democratic Party, Youth Party, Young Progressives Party and the Zenith Labour Party.
