There is disquiet in the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state over the alleged move by Governor Seyi Makinde to offer automatic tickets to some of the serving members of the State House of Assembly.
Some members of the party are of the opinion that such a move may affect the performance of the party in the 2023 general election.
It would be recalled that the names of 13 of the members of the state legislative house were said to have been penciled down for automatic return to the state assembly.
Concerned PDP members were said to have argued that such a move would give the lawmakers an undue advantage over others that may want to aspire.
According to them, many of the legislators abandoned their constituencies and party members since they were elected in 2019.
It was further learnt that the lawmakers being considered for automatic tickets were allegedly considered to have failed to complement the efforts of Makinde at ensuring the socio-economic development of the people of their constituencies.
A party leader from one of the local government areas in Ibadan, who spoke in confidence, explained that any idea of an automatic ticket could be problematic for the party, noting that the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), in the state was not resting on its plan to take back the state from the PDP.
He said: “All that we want is a level playing ground for everybody, it is morally wrong to force these lawmakers on the party members and if they are forced on members they cannot be forced on the electorate.
“We are the people at the grassroots, we know what the electorate is saying, let everyone that is interested go to the field and contest a free and fair primary election, any serving lawmaker that wins will know he has loved and wanted and has done his homework perfectly instead of trying to get the tickets through the back door.
“This is an election where the voters will have multiple choice, so the governor and the leaders of the party should give us level playing ground, all we want is a free and fair primary which we know the party members would abide with”.
The majority leader of the state assembly Hon Sanjo Adedoyin, was said to have been attacked at the Ogbomoso south local government meeting of the PDP over an allegation that he had not been responsive to the people and was seeking a return ticket.