- Pressure mounts on Jegede to adopt him as running mate for governorship poll
There is a cloud of uncertainty in Ondo State over reports that Agboola Ajayi, the state’s Deputy Governor has joined the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) to form a third force ahead of the October 10, 2020 governorship election.
Posters that the deputy governor had dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to vie for the governorship position under the ZLP have been rife in the public and media landscape.
However, Guardian reports the leadership of the PDP through the National Working Committee (NWC) have moved to avert Ajayi’s defection by attempting to impose him as the running mate of the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede.
Ondo State PDP Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Zadock Akintoye, debunked the alleged move by Ajayi to join the ZLP.
Akintoye, therefore, urged the party members and public to disregard the information.
Jegede had previously declined the choice of Ajayi as running mate on the basis that he preferred someone he could trust and he presented Olumide Ogunje as a substitute running mate due to the inability of the PDP to finalize on a substantive running mate before the INEC deadline for the submittal of the party candidates.
However, reports suggest that some PDP leaders in Abuja had kick started the process of installing Ajayi as running mate after they uncovered plans by some aggrieved members to sponsor Ajayi under another political party.
It was learnt that discussions have been held with the PDP NWC, headed by Uche Secondus on the need to persuaded Jegede to adopt Ajayi as running mate to forestall disintegration of the party ahead of the October poll.
A PDP leader in the state, who preferred anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, said: “Jegede may not have the choice than to accept Ajayi as running mate. We can’t afford to go into the poll with a divided house.
“Jegede must understand that despite that he defeated Ajayi during the primary, he is still a big favour and big fish in the politics of Ondo State.
“We must commend some of our party leaders, particularly some PDP governors and NWC members, for their frantic efforts to stop Ajayi from dumping the PDP before the election. They love the party unlike those who are pushing Ajayi to go to another party to contest.”
Source: Guardian