A frontline and former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) has voluntarily withdrawn from the 2024 governorship election in the state.
The former Attorney general and commissioner for justice will not be on the governorship ballot for the first time since he left office in 2015 and thereafter contested twice in 2016 and 2020 under the umbrella of PDP where he ended 1st runner up respectively.
Jegede supporters across the 18 local government council areas of the state may have to wait for another 8 years when power will rotate to the central and time to produce governor of the state.
Jegede a strong disciple of presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar who hail from Akure the state capital said, he is committed to making all necessary sacrifices to provide solutions to the problems of the party rather than join in compounding it.
He spoke in Akure while addressing his teeming supporters across the 18 local governments of the state,
He added, “After several intensive and extensive consultations, consolidations, and reconsiderations, it became obvious that we need to reexamine whether to proceed or take a detour that could guarantee an alignment with the preponderance of opinion in terms of the quest for equitable representation, equity, and fair play particularly at the level of governorship.
“Our party constitution is not receptive to zoning and this has been demonstrated through the election of successive Governors, the elections were not based on zoning but on merit.
“The event of today has become expedient in the face of the upcoming potential activities in our state and the party. A decision has to be taken whether we need to repeat the same process that we passed through in 2016 and 2020.
“We have an array of Governorship aspirants who are competent and distinguished in their various callings, we also have those who have shown exceptional qualities including consistency and unalloyed loyalty to the party.
“| feel it is time to allow these men the opportunity to try their luck in the primary and by God’s grace, ultimately win the Governorship election, all the aspirants would be accorded every support that is available at my disposal.
“The time is now to rebuild the party for victory. I am committed to making all necessary sacrifices to provide solutions to the problems of the Party rather than join in compounding it”
