The national leadership of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday assured aspirants contesting the ticket of the party that it will conduct free, fair and transparent primaries on May 8 to pick its candidate for the July 14 governorship election in Ekiti state.

Since Ekiti state Governor Ayodele Fayose announced his preference for his deputy to emerge as the party's candidate in the coming election, other aspirants had kicked against the governor's action and insisted on  a free, fair and transparent primary.

Two of the aspirants, Dare Bejide and Alhaji Sikiru Tae Lawal, had since defected from the PDP to the Social Democraric Party and Labour Party respectively to realizing their ambitions.

 At a meeting with the aspirants in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday, the national leadership of the party, led by its national chairman, Chief Uche Secondus, assured the aspirants that the primary would be transparent but pleaded with them to support whoever emerges as the party's candidate to ensure victory for the party.

He said, "I urge you to join the leaders to work together to ensure a free and fair transparent primary, eminent Nigerians are conducting the primaries.

We urge you to remain calm. We also urge INEC and security agents not to be partial but come to defend democracy. . From here we are moving to other parts of the country for sensitization."

Also a former Senate President, Senator David Mark, who was part of Secondus's entourage, and also tthe chairman of the  reconcilation committee  said he had been working to ensure peace among the aspirants  by reconciling all parties.

" Secondly,  is to assure you that the process leading to the final election of whoever will become PDP candidate in Ekiti for the July poll will be free, fair and credible. If we are insisting that INEC must be fair, it  means we will have to do so ourselves at the party level.

"Nobody will write delegates' names, every one will vote for candidate of his choice. We will ensure this and all stakeholders will ensure it. We want to show the world what internal democracy is. Internal democracy will ensure that you all fight for your preferred candidate and we will ensure that. I am very confident that PDP will be in Ekiti."

Governor Fayose, who appealed to the aspirants to maintain peace, also promised not to do anything that would undermine the party or any of the aspirants jostling for the party's ticket.

Fayose said, "I want the other aspirants to be comfortable, the ultimate is to defeat APC in Ekiti and Nigeria. I will not do anything that would undermine this process , the party and aspirants. "

The governor, who restated his preference for the Deputy Governor, Prof. Olusola Kolapo as his successor, however, promised that he would stand by whoever emerges as the party's candidate.

" I am for Olusola, but whosoever that wins the primary, I will stand by that person. The worst PDP man is better than the best of APC. candidate. "

Giving their words of committment, three of the aspirants, insisted on a transparent primary adding that they would support whoever merges as the party's candidate if such emerges in a fair, free and transparent exercise.

A former Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye said: "I believe this meeting is to assure all of us in Ekiti that there will be free and fair primaries.

" We want free, fair and transparent primary.  If this is done, I am assured that PDP will coast home with victory" warning that  "if anybody has written names of delegates, they should tear it off".

He appealed to all stakeholders in the election to  maintain peace since the leadership had promised not to harass or intimidate anybody.

Also speaking, Senator Abiodun Olujimi,  lauded the Secondus-led executive describing the meeting as "a good beginning."

She said, "Before now most of us could not come home to do anything but your comments as leaders  would change the tide of things.  There is very much work to do, we need to set up another committee to do another reconciliation, the right thing has to be done. If the right thing is done, I am sure we won't have problems even at the national level."

Olusola in his remark, said:"As an aspirant, I am committed to a free,  fair and transparent.