Ondo State deputy governor quits PDP, picks ZLP guber ticket

Ahead of October 10, 2020 governorship election in Ondo State, the Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

This was contained in a statement by Ajayi’s Media Adviser, Mr. Allen Sowore, who confirmed the resignation few weeks after the deputy governor lost PDP ticket to Eyitayo Jegede.

Sowore, who stated that the Chairman of the PDP in Apoi Ward II of Ese-Odo Local Council, Festus Oboro, acknowledged the receipt of the resignation letter dated August 9, 2020, said: “The deputy governor appreciates the national leadership and members of the party for their warm reception and acceptance in the short period he rejoined the party.

“This decision is as a result of the call on the deputy governor by majority of the good people of Ondo State to give hope to the hopeless, provide credible and purposeful leadership in our dear state.

“He wishes to reassure his teaming supporters to remain focused and committed as he will be announcing his next line of action shortly,” the statement read in parts.

However, the state’s Publicity Secretary of PDP, Kennedy Peretei, said the exit of the deputy governor from the major opposition party had no negative effect on their prospect of winning the governorship election. Peretei said: “As a party, we have not received his letter of resignation but we wish him well in his political journey. He is desperate to win election.

“However, his exit from the PDP will not affect our prospects of winning the October gubernatorial election this year.

“The PDP remains solid, strong and more determined than ever before to win the forthcoming governorship election with a credible and competent candidate in the person of Eyitayo Jegede.”

IN another development, governorship aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who lost the primary election of the party, have collapsed their structure to work for the re-election of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

The former aspirants made the pledge in Akure at a meeting of the APC Advisory Council presided over by National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, who was represented by former APC National Vice Chairman, South-West, Chief Pius Akinyelure.

Isaac Kekemeke, who spoke with journalists after the meeting, said they all decided to work collectively for the success of the party at the October 10, 2020 governorship poll.

He said they would deliver massive votes for Akeredolu’s re-election, stressing: “We have resolved that we have no other party than the APC. We have no other candidate than Akeredolu.”