Youth group warns Makinde against imposing candidates for 2023 election

A group of youths in the Oyo state chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has warned Governor Seyi Makinde and party leaders in the state against imposition of candidates for the election into the state’s House of Assembly.

The group, Democratic Advancement Forum expressed worry at how state governors handpick party candidates for the elections into houses of assembly rather than allowing them emerge as candidates on merit.

In a release signed by the group leader, Adebayo Komolafe, they said that some candidates were not popular in their constituencies as they did not secure their mandates by merit, but by lobbying.

The group argued that such representatives do not represent the interests of their people and they have nothing to show as tangible achievement in the last three years.

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The release reads in part: “We are concerned about the growth of our dear state and we believe that having the right people in place will hasten the development and compliments the efforts of Governor Seyi Makinde who is striving hard to make oyo a better state.

“It is sad that some of the lawmakers cannot walk freely in their constituency nor hold town hall meetings with their people because they have nothing to show for the years they have spent at the assembly and it won’t do the party any good to impose such a person on the basis of an automatic ticket.”

While calling for a level playing ground, the group maintained that any attempt to manipulate the party’s integrity will jeopardize its chances in retaining power beyond 2023.

By Oluwatobi Odeyinka.

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