Ondo 2020: Why I didn’t pick Agboola Ajayi as running mate ― Jegede

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede, has finally revealed reasons for not picking the embattled deputy governor of the state, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, as his running mate, saying Ajayi ambition was to become a governor.

Jegede who made this known during an interview monitored on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily said he would have loved to pick Ajayi as his running mate but noted he was interested in becoming the state governor.

Jegede said apart from Ajayi’s ambition, he could not have been his running mate because of the failure of the present administration in the state saying Ajayi was part of the failure of the Akeredolu’s administration.

He said the PDP is challenging the present administration in the state because of its failure to address the welfare of the people of the state.

Jegede said “Ajayi chose not to be my deputy. His ambition is to be a governor under a political party. He left the APC, came to PDP, defeated in our primary, and went to ZLP.

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“I took opinions from virtually everybody. People chose who became my running mate. When a choice is made we must respect it. One should not allow his ambition to override the choice of the people.

“All the policies that we are fighting, the pains we want to end are the product of Akeredolu and his deputy. He was at our party (as a member) for just six weeks. He is a very powerful person and humble, you cannot do away with that.”

The PDP candidate, however, pledged to give attention to the security of lives and property of given the chance to rule the state, promising to strengthen the operations of Amotekun in Ondo State.

“Amotekun will stay without political influence. We must protect our people,” he added.

He also said he would reduce the tuition of state-owned tertiary institutions, adding that “funding is not an issue.”

It will be recalled that Agbola defected to the PDP from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a bid to secure a governorship ticket but was defeated by Jegede in the party’s primary election.

Ajayi who came second in the PDP primary election subsequently left PDP for Zenith Labour Party, (ZLP) where he was offered the party’s ticket.

There were speculations before Ajayi defected to ZLP that Jegede and Ajayi would team up against the APC candidate and Governor of the state, Rotimi Akeredolu.

But Jegede picked a member of the House of Representatives, representing Okitipupa/Irele Federal Constituency, Gboluga Ikengboju as his running mate.