Ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State, speculations were rife that the deputy governor of the state, Hon. Agboola Ajayi might tender his resignation this week amidst irreconcilable differences between him and the state governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu.
Ajayi was rumoured to have perfected all arrangements to defect to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to allow him to participate in the primary election of the PDP.
The deputy governor, according to one of the aspirants has secretly obtained the nomination form of the PDP ahead of the party’s primary, confirming that the resignation was to enable him to defect to the opposition PDP and contest in the governorship race.
The aspirants attributed the planned defection of Ajayi to some aspirants foot-dragging in payment for their nomination form and expression of interest, while pressure was on them to drop their aspiration.
He disclosed that PDP appears to be stuck in fresh intrigue as the leaders of the party had tabled before the deputy governor the option to work with one of the leading aspirants of the party as the running mate of the aspirant in the election.
The new permutation is to field the incumbent Deputy Governor, Ajayi as running mate to the governorship candidate of the PDP in 2016, Eyitayo Jegede, which was turned down and resisted by all party’s governorship aspirants.
It was earlier believe that Ajayi has the structure to oust Akeredolu in the 2020 governorship election and the party should cede the ticket to him but most of the aspirants kicked against this arrangement.
