There are indications that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may likely impose the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, as the running mate of the party governorship candidate, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, for the October 10, 2020 poll.
Tribune Online gathered that imposing Ajayi as Jegede’s running mate was part of the strategies of the party by the party leadership to stop Ajayi from dumping the party for the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Speculations were rife in the last few days that Ajayi may likely dump the party again for ZLP to obtain the ticket of the ZLP to contest the poll.
Ajayi who recently dumped APC for the PDP lost the ticket of the party to Jegede in the just concluded PDP governorship primary, but he is said to be working towards flying the ticket of the ZLP.
However, It was gathered that some leaders of the PDP in Abuja had commenced the move of imposing Ajayi as running mate after it was discovered that Ajayi has been planning to dump the party for another party.
It was gathered that the party has uncovered the plot of a few of their colleagues who are planning to sponsor the embattled deputy governor on another political platform to run for the governorship election in the state.
It was also learnt that some PDP leaders had already met with PDP NWC led by Mr Uche Secondus on the need to prevail Jegede to accept the Ajayi’s choice so that the PDP camp of the PDP in the state will not be depleted before the October poll.
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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.
“APC members in the state are on a daily basis uniting. Governor Akeredolu was in Lagos recently to introduce his running mate, Lucky Aiyedatiwa to one of his erstwhile political antagonists, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu.
“If Akeredolu could unite with Tinubu, I don’t see why Jegede should reject Ajayi.
“Jegede must understand that Ajayi, despite the defeat in the primary, 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 October election.
“They love the party, unlike those who are pushing Ajayi to go to another party contest”
It will be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last week released provisional lists of 17 governorship candidates and their running mates that will participate poll.
Jegede, the PDP candidate has presented Mr Olumide Ogunje as a surrogate running mate for Jegede
who would be the substantive running mate before the deadline
due to the inability of the party to conclude on the running mate in the forthcoming governorship election.
Recalled that Jegede had once rejected the choice of Ajayi as a running mate when it was first suggested to him on the ground that he needed someone he could trust.
and then